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Reid making the right choice to go with Vick over Kolb

Anthony Stalter — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 22:32:35 +0000

Had Andy Reid stuck with Kevin Kolb as his starting quarterback, he would have mainly done so because a) he drafted him and b) he didn’t want to play the role of fool for benching the man tabbed to replace Donovan McNabb just three weeks into the season.

And had Reid stuck with Kolb as his starting quarterback, he would have been making the wrong decision.

In two outings this year, Michael Vick has completed 63.8 percent of his passes for 459 yards with three touchdowns and zero interceptions. He holds a QB Rating of 105.5 and has also rushed 18 times for 140 yards with no fumbles.

He’s only played in two games, but those are Pro Bowl-type numbers. That’s why Reid’s decision to stick with Vick as his starter was the right choice, even though Kolb was named the starter in preseason and is essentially losing his job because of an injury.

Had Vick showed signs of inconsistency or had been reckless with the football (which wasn’t uncommon for him in Atlanta), Reid would have been justified for sticking with Kolb. But with how well Vick played against the Packers and Lions, this was really an easy decision for a head coach in a tough spot.

That said, winning is the only thing that matters from here on out. If Vick looks like a disaster over the next three weeks (ESPN’s Chris Mortensen is reporting that this is a permanent move by Reid – not an injury-related matter tied to the concussion Kolb suffered two weeks ago), then nobody should hold it against Reid for going back to Kolb. But as of right now, right this second, the Philly head coach is making the right move.

Eagles have options if they eventually decide to dump Michael Vick

Anthony Stalter — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 21:00:13 +0000

Over the weekend, the Associated Press reported that the Eagles were seriously considering dumping Michael Vick, although the rumor was quickly denied by reputable NFL insiders Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen of ESPN, as well as the team itself.

But what if the Eagles decided to part ways with Vick in wake of his latest off-field situation? Would they be comfortable releasing him with no veteran to backup the inexperienced Kevin Kolb next season?

Considering Vick was mostly used out of the Wildcat formation last year, the answer to that question is easy. Jeff Garcia, the veteran QB who has history with the Eagles, would be the most logical option if Vick were released. Garcia is already well versed in Andy Reid’s offense and despite his weak arm strength, he’s a better passing quarterback than Vick, who may have a rocket attached to his left shoulder but whose accuracy remains a major issue.

Another option the Eagles might have is one that was brought up by ESPN and that’s Troy Smith, who probably could be had for the right price. The former Heisman Trophy winner is rotting behind Joe Flacco in Baltimore and would like the opportunity to start somewhere else. Kolb is entrenched as the starter right now in Philly, but that doesn’t mean Smith wouldn’t have the opportunity to unseat him if he starts to struggle at any point during the season.

The point is that Vick isn’t worth the trouble for the Eagles. Reid’s experiment with him in the Wildcat last year often produced poor results and at 30 year’s old, it’s not like the former No. 1 overall pick has regained his lightening-quick speed. (He’s reportedly in better shape than he was last year, but that doesn’t mean he’s the athlete he once was.)

I would stop short of calling Vick expendable, but he’s certainly not worth the headache if he gets into even an ounce of trouble with the league over the Quanis Phillips shooting. And truth be told, the Eagles missed out on a golden opportunity to trade him this offseason by asking for a second round pick (which was way too high) in exchange for his services.

With Jackson out for the season, what are the Eagles options at free safety?

Anthony Stalter — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 22:30:29 +0000

Marlin Jackson apparently has less luck than the victims of those “Saw” movies.

On Tuesday, Jackson suffered a ruptured Achilles’ tendon in his right foot, which will end his season – if not his career. The injury comes on the heels of the Eagles’ signing him to a two-year, $6 million deal to be their new free safety despite the fact that he suffered two knee injuries in the previous two seasons. The position now becomes the black hole of Philly’s defense for the second straight season.

What are the Bird’s plans to replace Jackson? O.J. Atogwe is now a free agent, but GM Howie Roseman told the Philadelphia Inquirer that the team won’t pursue the former Rams’ safety. Instead, the Eagles will rely on in-house options like rookie Nate Allen, Quintin Demps or possibly even Macho Harris (a cornerback that started eight games at FS last season) to fill the void created by Jackson’s injury.

Demps was being counted on to replace Brian Dawkins last season, but he had a brutal preseason and then hamstring and ankle injuries limited him to special teams duties throughout the year. Harris made the switch from corner to safety and overtook the starting job from Demps, but it’s clear that his best position is cornerback in nickel and dime packages.

Allen is the most intriguing option of the group. He slid past the Vikings and the Chiefs in the second round of April’s draft and the Eagles were ecstatic to land him with the No. 37 overall pick. He made 39 straight starts to finish out his collegiate career at South Florida, while intercepting four passes in 2009 to earn second-team All-Big East honors. Even when Jackson was healthy, Allen was being given the opportunity to earn the starting position.

All bets are on Allen winning the job this offseason and entering the season as the starter. But if he struggles, the position might once again become a revolving door for an Eagle team that is expected to once again compete for a playoff spot in the NFC.

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Eagles release Westbrook – will McNabb be jettisoned next?

Anthony Stalter — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 20:45:44 +0000

Just one day after the Chargers parted with legend LaDainian Tomlinson, the Eagles followed suit by releasing one-time franchise running back Brian Westbrook on Tuesday.

The writing has been on the wall for a couple months now. Westbrook only played in eight games last year after dealing with a concussion for most of the season. He was due to make $7.25 million in 2010 and after drafting his eventual replacement (“Shady” McCoy) last year, it was unlikely that the Eagles were going to honor the final year of Westbrook’s contract. He should find work elsewhere, although given his age (30) and durability concerns, he might not get more than a one or two-year contract.

Now that Westbrook has been released, the Eagles might turn their attention to quarterback Donovan McNabb’s situation. McNabb’s base salary in 2010 is $5 million, plus he’s due a $6.2 million roster bonus on May 5. With Kevin Kolb waiting in the wings, it’s rumored that if Philly can acquire a first round pick in exchange for McNabb, they’ll deal him this offseason.

But will any team be willing to part with a first round pick for a 33-year-old quarterback that only has one year left on his contract? McNabb is still extremely productive. He finished 2009 with a 92.9 QB rating after throwing for 3,553 yards and 22 touchdowns. The criticism he receives about not taking the Eagles to the next level despite multiple postseason appearances is warranted and he’s probably a borderline top 10 quarterback at this point. But again, he still produces and would be the best quarterback on the market if he were/is available.

I went into more detail about this subject a couple weeks ago, but I would say he’s worth giving up a first round pick for a team like the Vikings (depending on whether or not Lord Favre decides to retire, of course). Minnesota already has a playoff roster, but it needs strong play from its quarterback if it ever hopes to reach the Super Bowl. Given McNabb’s familiarity with Brad Childress’ offense, it would be a seamless transition for him to go from Philadelphia to Minnesota and thus, a late first round pick would be worth giving up in order to acquire him. In fact, the Vikings might be a perfect fit for Westbrook seeing as how they’re not expected to re-sign Chester Taylor.

That said, it would make less sense for a team like the Rams or Bills to part with a first round pick, given how high they’re both selecting in April and seeing as how they’re not ready to challenge for a postseason berth in 2010.

It’s already been an interesting offseason in Philadelphia and free agency hasn’t even begun yet. Westbrook’s release might be the first step in the Eagles’ plan to turn the chapter and head into 2010 with a new backfield.

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Report: Brian Westbrook facing retirement

Anthony Stalter — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 15:56:34 +0000

A great career might end on a sad note, as Philadelphia sports radio host Howard Eskin is reporting that Eagles running back Brian Westbrook is considering retirement.

From SB Nation.com:

Earlier in the season, rumors swirled that the oft-injured running back was considering retirement, but those were attributed to his concussions, two of which he suffered this season. Eskin reports that it’s the left knee that is hampering Westbrook, which was surgically repaired in the past.

Eskin says there is “almost no chance” Westbrook plays another game for the Eagles — he has one year left on his contract — and that the knee is in such bad condition, Westbrook may not even me able to pass a team physical to play elsewhere.

Looking at this realistically, the Eagles already drafted Westbrook’s replacement last April when they took LeSean McCoy in the second round. McCoy is a near replica of Westbrook, so there is no reason for Philly to pay the $7.5 million that is owed to the 30-year old back next season.

There will definitely be teams interested in Westbrook as a backup or platoon player, but if he can’t pass a physical then obviously he won’t be signed. If he does retire, it’ll be a sad way to go out for one of the league’s most productive backs over the last decade.

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Kirwan: Time for Eagles to trade Vick?

Anthony Stalter — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 13:51:57 +0000

Senior NFL.com analyst Pat Kirwan suggested in a recent article that now might be the best time for the Eagles to trade Michael Vick.

Michael Vick said he expected to be a starting quarterback when he reentered the NFL. When I look at some of the quarterback situations around the league, I think he’s right, but I don’t really see him as a fit in Philadelphia after watching Kevin Kolb for the past two weeks.

The return of Donovan McNabb, as well as having Jeff Garcia under contract, makes Vick a guy to consider trading. He saw limited duty in his first real game and he will get better with more work, but his contract next year probably means he will not be an Eagle after 2009.
In the past two weeks, Kolb has completed 55 of 85 passes for 718 yards (8.44 yards per attempt) with four touchdowns, three interceptions and just two sacks. Any young QB that only gets sacked once every 43.5 attempts and distributes the ball to seven different receivers every game is the future — and he’s a whole lot cheaper than Vick.

In Vick’s career, he has been sacked an average of once every 10 pass attempts. And when it comes to the Wildcat, receivers DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin can handle those duties if the Eagles care to continue using it.

I don’t think there are any real worries about the fallout from Vick’s off-the-field issues anymore and maybe a team like the Raiders would love to have him on the roster. He has to be worth a decent draft pick. Garcia is the veteran backup the Eagles need for insurance. When the Eagles activated him to the 45-man roster this weekend, they confirmed they see him that way, too.

Garcia was just released so that the Eagles could make room for middle linebacker Jeremiah Trotter, although I don’t think that would change Kirwan’s mind regarding Philly trading Vick.

Kirwan suggests that Vick “has to be worth a decent draft pick.” Not sure I agree with that. He hasn’t shown enough in his limited time back to convince any team that he can be their starting quarterback and no team is going to part with a draft pick just to use Vick in the Wildcat.

One thing I do side with Kirwan on is how teams don’t have to worry about the fallout from Vick’s off-field issues. The Eagles essentially took the first blow and they didn’t receive much criticism. But again, I don’t see any team parting with a 2nd or 3rd rounder (what I would deem a “decent” draft pick) to add Vick just based on what we’ve seen so far.

McNabb out for Week 2

Anthony Stalter — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 15:17:00 +0000

Jay Glazer reported on his Twitter page that Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb will miss this Sunday’s game against the Saints with a fractured rib. After that, it’s unclear how long he’ll be out.

Philadelphia will likely start Kevin Kolb under center this week, although rumor has it that the team might re-sign A.J. Feeley to compete with Kolb in practice. Either way, the Eagles will suffer a downgrade at quarterback.

The Eagles are a Super Bowl contender this year, but not without McNabb. Kolb has struggled in the brief opportunities he’s recieved over the past couple years and it’s looking more and more that the former second rounder was a bust pick for Philly.

Of course, if McNabb misses an extended period of time and Kolb struggles, Michael Vick comes off his suspension in Week 4 and could start. But chances are that Andy Reid would stick with Kolb for as long as he can, seeing as how Vick hasn’t played in two years outside of a couple preseason games.

This will be an interesting situation to watch develop over the next couple weeks.