Philadelphia Eagles Rumors: Stephen Morris Claimed Off Waivers, Becomes Third String QB


Philadelphia Eagles rumors indicate Stephen Morris is the new third-string quarterback. These Eagles rumors stem from Morris getting claimed off waivers on Sunday (September 6), putting an end to debate on who would replace Tim Tebow on the roster. A report from ESPN states that the Jacksonville Jaguars had placed Morris on waivers, possibly hoping that the they could get him on the practice squad for the regular season.

Despite having a successful NFL preseason, the Eagles released Tim Tebow on Saturday (September 5) emptying out the roster slot that Morris will now occupy. Heading into training camp and the preseason games, four quarterbacks were in the battle to start or serve as a backup for the Eagles. Sam Bradford emerged as the starter, Mark Sanchez will serve as the backup, and Matt Barkley was traded to the Arizona Cardinals.

Adding Stephen Morris is an interesting turn for these Philadelphia Eagles rumors, as the rookie quarterback could have a lot to offer the team once he develops. During the 2013 college football season, he passed for 3,028 yards and 21 touchdowns for the Miami Hurricanes. He was an undrafted free agent who signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars for the 2014 NFL season, but only saw playing time for the practice squad. Now he gets a new chance to play with the Eagles.

The Eagles immediately placed Morris on the 53-man roster, meaning he will be on the sidelines with the team in Week 1. It will take a lot of work for Morris to get up to speed with the play-calling and up-tempo offense that Eagles head coach Chip Kelly works with, but he seems to have the talent to do it. Being with the active roster should also make the transition easier, even if the front office hopes that nobody behind Sam Bradford needs to see any game action in the 2015 NFL season.

It might surprise some Philadelphia Eagles fans that the team didn’t go with a veteran for the third-string quarterback spot, especially with the injury history that Bradford and Mark Sanchez bring along. A reality here is that Morris was much more affordable than a veteran could have been, and that there are still some decent options at quarterback that will be free agents when the NFL regular season begins. The Eagles open the season with a road game against the Atlanta Falcons on Monday, September 14 at 7:10 p.m. ET.

[Image Source: Patrick Smith/Getty Images]

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