Former UCLA quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson came in at the end of third quarter of the Philadelphia Eagles’ NFL preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals. DTR showed improvement on Thursday night as he tries to stick on another NFL roster.
Thompson-Robinson performed nowhere near as well as Jalen Hurts’ backup, Tanner McKee, who had completed 20 out of 25 passes for 252 passing yards and 2 passing touchdowns. McKee also scored a third touchdown on the Eagles’ brotherly shove play. However, while DTR did not pile up huge numbers, the former Bruin did protect the ball. He outplayed fellow Eagle quarterback Kyle McCord. Most importantly, he showed growth.
Thompson-Robinson and McCord have been battling for the third-string quarterback spot on the Eagles’ roster. With McCord having the benefit of being a 2025 sixth-round draft pick of the Eagles, DTR faced an uphill battle.
Before the preseason game, the UCLA passing touchdown record holder was named the third-string quarterback on the Eagles’ unofficial roster after stacking plays in training camp. That momentum seemed to continue into the matchup with the Bengals.
Thompson-Robinson completed 5 out of 8 passes for 56 passing yards and an 83.3 quarterback rating. McCord completed 1 out of 5 passes for 8 passing yards and threw an interception, according to ESPN.
The former Bruin’s struggles have been reported on heavily during his first two years in the National Football League with the Cleveland Browns. Was he perfect? Of course not, but he showed that he is learning. In a culture that believes in him, he could grow into becoming a quality backup quarterback.
Former (2021) No. 3 draft pick Trey Lance was looked at as a bust. Then he completed 13 of 20 passes for 120 yards and 2 touchdowns for a quarterback rating of 114.6 with the Los Angeles Chargers in the Hall of Fame Game against the Detroit Lions last week. Maybe he won’t remain a bust. Things can change. So can quarterbacks. They need the right environment.
Now that Dorian Thompson-Robinson is with the Eagles, it looks as though he is on the right trajectory.
This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: How well did former UCLA QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson do in preseason opener for Eagles?
Reporting by Ryan Lorenz, UCLA Wire / UCLA Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
