Vick, Foles, and Chip

Michael Vick was at one time the greatest show in the NFL. He was the poster-child, the highlight reel, the must have on Madden. He made NFL defenses look like highschool teams. He made a living on pure, undeniable talent. He didn't care too much about practicing and film study. He knew his freakish athleticism was all he needed. 

Today Michael Vick is 32, next season the Philadelphia Eagles will owe him $15.5 million if he is still on the roster. Vick spent a majority of the 2012 season watching from the sidelines as rookie QB Nick Foles took over his job. As other rookie QB's, that grew up idolizing Vick, stole the spotlight with their legs. 

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Vick is a prideful guy, and you can't blame the man, he still believes he can play. But if you watched any of the 2012 Philadelphia Eagles it is clear as day that Michael Vick CANNOT play. I still think he can be a serviceable QB in this league but I do not want any part of him being a starting QB for my team. Vick has lost a few steps, he couldn't read a defense if they held up que cards with the blitz package on it. He isn't equipped with the smarts it takes to be a successful NFL QB. He became the star he was on his legs alone. It is evident in the way he fails to pickup blitzes, constantly throws into coverage, and holds the ball way too long. He refuses to ever slide and pays brutally for it. The man can't stay on the field. 

In previous blogs, written by my esteemed colleague, he foresees Michael Vick being on the Eagles 2013 roster. Honestly I just do not see it. I do not believe under any circumstances that Michael Vick will take a pay cut. He still believes he is a top 5 QB in the NFL. 

The biggest questions in Philadelphia football revolves around Michael Vick and Chip Kelly's offense in the NFL. The Eagles often find themselves in the national spotlight and 2013 is going to be no different. Kelly is a football brainiac, I believe that Kelly will evlole his offense and tailor it to fit the personnel he has in Philadelphia. 

Vick and the fast paced spread offense would have been perfect for each other 10 years ago but not today. Kelly's offense is innovative, precise, efficient, fast, and hard to stop. But it does not have to have a running threat at QB. Kelly, in his first full day as Eagles coach, spoke in general terms about the quartberack position in his system. 

“[There’s] perception vs. reality,” Kelly said. “My quarterback last year [at Oregon], Darren Thomas, who is up in the CFL, we played in 14 games, he ran for 200 yards. Everybody is like, ‘Well, you run a running offense.’ Well, look at the statistics, it’s not that. We don’t run designed quarterback runs or we’re snapping the ball to him and then running quarterback power.

It is all about finding a talented quarterback, not necessarily a mobile or athletic one. Now I am not completely sold on the Nick Foles bandwagon. I don't believe he is going to be the future of the Philadelphia Eagles. But right now I believe he is the best option for the Philadelphia Eagles. It is time to call it quits on the Michael Vick experience. Let Chip Kelly work with Foles and draft a QB that fits his system and can groom for the future. 


Steve Glick

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