Eagles prepare Pickett with Hurts still in protocol

PHILADELPHIA -- Eagles coach Nick Sirianni signaled that Kenny Pickett will get the start Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys as Jalen Hurts continues to recover from a concussion.

"[Hurts] is still in the protocol. It's going to be tough for him to make it this week," Sirianni said Friday.

Hurts exited last week's game against the Washington Commanders midway through the first quarter after his head collided with the turf as he was hit by linebacker Frankie Luvu while going to the ground following a 13-yard run.

Hurts was replaced by Pickett, who went 14-of-24 for 143 yards with a touchdown and an interception in a 36-33 loss.

Pickett injured his ribs in the fourth quarter when he was wrestled down in the backfield by linebacker Bobby Wagner. He remained in the game but had X-rays taken immediately afterwards and follow-up tests Monday.

Pickett did not reveal the results of those tests but said the injury "is something that I'm going to have to deal with." He plans on wearing additional padding around the rib area in addition to the flak jacket that he normally wears on game day.

Tanner McKee will assume the role of No. 2 quarterback behind Pickett. A sixth-round pick out of Stanford in 2023, McKee has impressed in training camp practices and in preseason games over the last two seasons. He has been working on taking snaps from center Cam Jurgens this week so it's not new to him should he be called on in Sunday's game.

The Eagles' chances of securing the top seed in the NFC dropped to 4% following the loss to the Commanders, per NextGen Stats, but they can still win the division with a victory over Dallas or a Commanders loss or tie to the Atlanta Falcons.