Who will be the Eagles' quarterback?
A look at Eagles quarterbacks
Who will be the Eagles' quarterback?
Zach Berman
Here is the first in a series of looks at the Eagles roster:
Today: Quarterbacks
On the roster: No position will receive more debate in the coming weeks than quarterback, where the Eagles continue to evaluate Michael Vick and Nick Foles. New coach Chip Kelly insists he can adapt his offense to the quarterback and does not necessarily need a running threat. Vick’s athleticism would help him if Kelly brought his Oregon offense to the Eagles, but Vick's turnover habit and his injury history will be an issue. (Kelly values taking care of the ball and staying in the game.) Kelly coached against Foles in college and has a better idea than most about Foles’ ability and whether he’s been limited in his career by a struggling team compared to his own shortcomings.
Vick would not be on the roster unless he’s the starter, and he likely won’t be on the roster regardless unless he takes a pay cut. Foles would be a candidate as a backup quarterback if the Eagles drafted a quarterback, got one via trade or in a free agency. He might even have some value – although maybe not a third-round draft choice – if they want to trade him. But Foles’ salary and his experience could serve the Eagles well as a backup quarterback.
The other quarterback on the Eagles roster is Trent Edwards. Edwards would likely only be a candidate as a third quarterback, especially if the Eagles draft a quarterback. He has starting experience, an inexpensive salary and is a smart and useful quarterback in the meeting room. But if the Eagles want a third quarterback with more experience for Kelly or one who is a more mobile threat, Edwards could easily be elsewhere next season.
Not on the roster: This is the category to pay attention to for quarterback because the Eagles might need to look elsewhere for next season’s starter. (In fact, on the day of Kelly’s opening news conference, The Inquirer’s Jeff McLane opined that Kelly’s quarterback might not be on the roster.) Without knowing the system that Kelly will run, it’s hard to speculate about a clear front-runner.
In the draft, there might not be a quarterback worth taking at No. 4. Geno Smith might impress in the next month and move into consideration, but it seems more likely the Eagles will take a quarterback late in the first round with a trade or early in the second round, where they pick. (49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick was the No. 4 pick in the second round two seasons ago.) One name to watch will be Florida State’s E.J. Manuel. The story you’ll hear is how Kelly recruited him out of high school, but Manuel has much more going for him than a recruiting battle five years ago. He’s a big, fast, high-percentage passer with significant experience, starting the last two seasons at Florida State. After a strong Senior Bowl, his stock is ascending.
The Eagles could also be in the running for 49ers backup quarterback Alex Smith, who has experience in the type of offense that Kelly used in college. Smith is also accurate, intelligent and has valuable experience. The question is how much of his success during the last two seasons was the byproduct of the 49ers’ coaching or actual development by Smith. There will be a robust market for him, and he’ll only be 29 next season.
The free-agent market is not attractive this season, although the Eagles could find a potential backup or project quarterback in that group. Ravens practice squad quarterback Dennis Dixon has started in the NFL and played under Kelly at Oregon, and he would be a worthwhile quarterback to bring into camp.
TOMORROW: Running backs.
- YES my friend thanks for dropping the knowledge on smith... watching comcast sportsnet try and sell him to us Philly fans was PAINFUL. He is the last QB we should ever see in eagle green, we gotta educate these guys before they get brainwashed!
— cdriscoll4 - I agree MAC, right now Foles doesnt have that, but i think we've given him 6 games to show it and its not enough. Not saying he is the next great thing, but the Eagles tendency to make hasty personnel decisions too soon has killed them at the QB position.— frstrm
- hope its not vick hes been a cancer since he got here adios my vick— tgo2go
- For The Fourth Straight Year, The Super Bowl Champs Played In The Eagles’ Home Opener...haha thanks Deadspin. Looking at Smiths stats in a vacuum, of course they wont look good. He was bad for a while, he actually improved, I know thats hard for Eagles fans to digest. They have to judge on first look because we all know Graham is a bust. Anyway, of course every player looks better on a good team or under a decent coach. I wouldnt worry, I really believe Smith will go to a different team anyway.
— peteike - Once again a pocket passer has hoisted the Lombardi. That is 47-0 for pocket passers vs athletic QBs in the Super Bowl era...Please, for the love of God, stick w Foles and groom him. Enough w the long on athleticism short on skill and awareness QB's. History and numbers don't lie...— greenblood4200
- @philliesphan79- The loss last night came down to a special teams play not the play or the style of play of the QBs (which both played very well both through the ball well). Without that play your more “mobile QB” in Kapernick wins and Flacco loses. And if you look at who was more accurate of the two my nod goes to Kap most of Flacc's passes were throw ups and let the WR grab it. So let’s stop with the coded talk, we know the SB QBs have mostly been white but look at the ratio of black QBs to white.
Now as far as who becomes next seasons QB I still think Vick but if not I think Kelly brings in Darron Thomas for a look or drafts a Geno Smith or EJ Manuel, if nothing else but to make Foles prove he can run this style of offense which I doubt. There's also the option of Matt Flynn only his salary will be too high and Alex Smith.... please no, I'd take Foles over him so that tells you what I think of Smith.
— realtruth - Kapernick is the real deal as is Wilson and RG3. They are all developing into excellent pocket passers who can beat you with their legs in the same vein as Steve Young or Warren Moon early in his career. I never said that mobile qb's can't win. My point which I should have elaborated on is that you need to be an accurate passer that leads the offense and makes smart decisions. I never once mentioned race or coded talk so I don't know where that nonsense is coming from.
As for Vick, he has never been an accurate passer and has always made too many mistakes. He also never took football seriously until he was out of the game and is now obviously too far behind to learn how to play the position. That's the difference between Kapernick/Wilson/RG3 and him. They all study the game and apply themselves. Vick is quite simply one of the biggest wastes of talent there has ever been in football.— philliesphan79 - How can Foles be judged so harshly? He played behind a seive of an offensive line and played only 6 games. He did not play horribly, actually did some good things. And what about that so-called "development" period - he hasn't had any. I'm certainly no talent evaluator but the Eagles do have a recent history of not giving young QBs a decent chance. And so it goes.— joninohio
- NO VICK! I want to be able to cheer for my team again without feeling dirty. Anybody but Vick! Even you Howie!— Bleedsgreen
- I love the "once we get of Vick" people like we gon start winning after we do that lol!!!!! Get ready to take these beatings like a man lol!!!!— shaad
- Foles is doomed in Phila without the protection Flacco enjoys behind his Offensive Line. Neither of the SB QBs would have found success in Phila given the same offensive line that Vick and Foles were playing behind.
There's absolutely no way to evaluate a QB in Phila because of the ineffectiveness of their blocking schemes over the last several years. Both defenses in the SB were extraordinary. The difference were the contributions of their O Lines, there were times when Flacco was untouched against stellar 49er's defenders. This was an incredible effort by the Linemen in the trenches, something the Eagles haven't demonstrated in years.— Dexter - prediction: manuel, foles, dixon— HDemetriou
- @greenblood4200- News flash idiot, it wasn't because Flacco was a pocket passer that the Ravens won but a run back kickoff that made the difference without it your pocket passer loses. I wish you bigots would say what YOU mean "pocket passer" = white, "athletic short awareness" = black. Where do you get this figure of 47-0 for pocket passers vs athletic QBs in the Super Bowl era, Steve Young athletic, Brett Farve atheltic, Arron Rodgers athletic, even Big Ben athletic, all winners of SBs.— realtruth
- No man, you just must enjoy playing the "race card". Doug Williams was a pocket passer. Favre,Rodgers, Big Ben, yes they are athletic....but they play a much different style than RG3,Wilson,Kaep,etc. You must know this, deep down....or you are in denial. — cdedrick05
- @Dexter-Which is why I believe Kelly gives Vick a shot to see if he can run this offense. But I also believe he brings in someone familiar with his system as well like Darron Thomas.— realtruth
