Tell the truth. You’re struggling with this one, aren’t you? It’s understandable. It hurts to say it. Why on Planet Earth would the Philadelphia Eagles welcome Kenny Pickett back?

There are two answers, actually. First, they like him more than the general public. Second, Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Kyle McCord struggled this preseason. Suppose those theories don’t make you think. Here are others to toss around for fodder.

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Tanner McKee is injured. If he isn’t deemed medically ready and quickly, that could mean he may miss the Eagles’ regular-season home opener vs. the Dallas Cowboys.

Ask yourselves an honest question. Do you want Thompson-Robinson or Kyle McCord on the field as the backup plan should, Heaven forbid, something happens to Jalen Hurts in that first game?

No, let’s be serious. Are you willing to bet on either of them if they were forced into action? At least we know Pickett can beat the Cowboys. We saw him do so as the starter last season.

Sure, no one was shocked when he was traded to the Cleveland Browns. The move made total sense at the time. He wants to be a starter in the NFL, so Philadelphia gave him the chance to pursue that.

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He was never going to be a starter in the City of Brotherly Love, but things have changed. He may be cut in favor of Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders.

Though Philadelphia earned an additional fifth-round pick as part of the trade, they were also gambling on the possibility that Thompson-Robinson was just as good or better. Do we know that to be true? We aren’t so sure about that, are we?

Philadelphia’s job is to field the best 53-man roster possible. To do so, they need to explore every option. Those options may not include hanging on to Thompson-Robinson or McCord, but when one glances at the landscape of available quarterbacks, there isn’t much to choose from.

Some other publications have hinted at the still-available Carson Wentz. Those publications shall remain nameless. Plus, we disagree with them.

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Carson Wentz adds no value to this QB room as currently constructed. Then again, Pickett may not either at this point, but at least he’s more understanding of this offense. Trust us on this one. The Philadelphia Eagles may be entertaining this same conversation.

There is one catch on the Pickett front. Philadelphia can’t trade for him because they just traded him away. There is only one path to reacquiring him. The Browns would have to determine, after naming Joe Flacco the starter, that they also would rather keep Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders over the former Eagle.

Maybe this is much ado about nothing. Perhaps it’s a reasonable theory or the results of random thoughts that occur during final roster cuts. Whatever the case and regardless of where you stand, here’s where many of us can agree. The prospect of Thompson-Robinson or McCord playing meaningful regular-season minutes is horrifying.

This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Kenny Pickett could be an answer if Tanner McKee misses extended time