When Alex Marvez of FOXSports.com asked a NFL scout that watched all 64 snaps that Michael Vick took last season, this is what he said:

“He can’t throw,” the scout said. “A guy could be open 20 yards downfield and he’ll throw it 25. He never could throw, but he was fast before. It’s not like he’s slow now but he doesn’t stick out like, ‘Wow, this guy is faster than everybody.’”

I then sent a text message to a top NFL personnel director asking whether the lack of trade buzz surrounding Vick stems from the fact he is no longer a special athletic talent. The response: “Right on.”

What the scout said isn’t necessarily a shocking revelation. Like the scout, many people thought that Vick couldn’t throw before he went to prison, so it stands to reason that he still can’t after he spent two years in lock up. Factor in his drop in speed and athletic ability given his age and it’s no wonder that teams aren’t jumping at the chance to trade for Vick.

Marvez goes on:

But if teams were convinced he could become the old Michael Vick, wouldn’t some of his former bosses have tried to acquire him by now? St. Louis general manager Billy Devaney worked in Atlanta’s front office when Vick rushed for 1,000 yards in 2006. Cleveland general manager Tom Heckert Jr. held that same position last year in Philadelphia, allowing him a day-to-day look at Vick in practice.

The Rams and Browns entered the offseason desperate for quarterbacking help but both went in a different direction. St. Louis signed A.J. Feeley, who has experience in offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur’s offense from the time both were with the Eagles. The Browns added free agent Jake Delhomme and traded with Seattle for Seneca Wallace, who has a similar skill-set to Vick.

It is a little surprising that a team like the Rams hasn’t made a move yet. The Eagles can’t be asking for too much in return for a quarterback that won’t be on their roster in 2011, so one would think that St. Louis would part with a sixth rounder in order to acquire Vick. But maybe teams don’t even think he’s worth that much.

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It appears that the Eagles are fine with the possibility of keeping Donovan McNabb, Kevin Kolb and Michael Vick on their roster for the 2010 season.

ESPN.com is reporting that the Eagles will pick up Vick’s $1.5 million roster bonus, which is due on Tuesday. That means unless a team makes Philly an offer they can’t refuse, it looks like Vick will have to wait another to become a starter.

That said, the Rams, Bills and Raiders still have plenty of time to make a move for Vick. It’s hard to believe that the Eagles would pass on a fourth round pick if one were offered to them, especially considering Vick will become a free agent next year and they won’t get anything for him if he signs elsewhere. It doesn’t make sense for the Eagles not to acquire compensation for a quarterback they’re not even using, but it’s wise that they’re playing their cards close to their chest right now.

As far as McNabb and Kolb are concerned, it appears that the Eagles will hang onto both players unless they’re offered a first round pick for either of them. And even then, they may ultimately decide that they want to see how the 2010 season plays out before deciding what they want to do in 2011.

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According to NFL.com’s Jason La Canfora, the Eagles might not trade quarterback Michael Vick until the preseason. The thought is to up Vick’s trade value by displaying him in preseason games and then waiting for other teams to panic due to injuries and uncertainty at the quarterback position.

If Philly does decide to wait, it’ll cost them. Vick is due a $1.5 million roster bonus on March 5 and if the Eagles don’t trade him before then, they’ll also guarantee $1 million of the quarterback’s 2010 salary. But if they can acquire a higher draft pick in return, it’s a price the Eagles are probably willing to pay.

The Rams remain the front-runners for Vick because of GM Billy Devaney’s relationship with the quarterback in Atlanta. Marc Bulger is no longer a viable starting option at quarterback and neither are Keith Null or Kyle Boller, so St. Louis would love to upgrade.

The Bills are another team desperate to start fresh at the quarterback position and with Chan Gailey’s history with mobile quarterbacks, Vick would make sense in Buffalo. The Raiders might make a play for Vick as well and a sleeper team that could emerge come preseason is the Cardinals, who aren’t completely sold on Matt Leinart yet.

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Philadelphia radio host Garry Cobb reported Friday that the Eagles have extended a long-term contract offer to quarterback Kevin Kolb, although Scout.com’s Adam Caplan is denying the report.

From the CourierPostOnline.com:

The report, which cites an anonymous source, surfaced on the personal Web site of former Eagles linebacker Garry Cobb, a host on Philadelphia sports-talk station WIP (610-AM). Terms of the contract extension weren’t mentioned in the report.

An Eagles spokesperson said the team doesn’t comment on contract issues, and a league source said Cobb’s report was “ridiculously false.”

Usually, with sudden reports like these, the truth is somewhere in between.

It’s more likely that talks between the organization and Kolb have begun, but the sides don’t want to make negotiations public.

It’s in the Eagles’ best interest to play things close to the vest. They have three quarterbacks on their roster that could start for either them or elsewhere and they can’t divulge their plans until they know what teams are interested in which signal caller.

Chances are that Michael Vick is a goner. The Eagles don’t want to pay Vick’s 2010 salary ($5.25 million) to watch him ride the bench and not get compensation for him when he becomes a free agent at the end of the year. If a team like the Rams or Bills offer a fourth or fifth round pick for the former starter, it would be surprising if Philly passed.

Now, the real question is what the Eagles want to do with McNabb and Kolb. Do they want to commit to Kolb and close the door on the McNabb era? Or does Andy Reid want to give McNabb one more shot to win a Super Bowl before committing to Kolb in 2011?

If I were to take a stab at predicting what will happen, I think the Eagles would trade McNabb if they can land a first round pick in return. If not, they’ll stick with McNabb for one more year and then commit to Kolb in 2011.

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One of the hot topics this offseason will be whether or not the Eagles will trade one or two of their quarterbacks. Michael Vick is the most likely candidate to be dealt, but there’s also a possibility that Philly commits to Kevin Kolb and thus makes Donovan McNabb available as well.

According to ESPN’s Sal Paolantonio, the Eagles have told teams that both McNabb and Kolb are not available for trade, although it’s likely that the team is just saying that to maintain its leverage. Considering McNabb is 33, injury prone and consistently comes up short in the playoffs, there’s no doubt that Andy Reid will at least listen to offers for the veteran QB. Three years ago, the Eagles asked for two first round picks in exchange for McNabb and while he has diminished value today, the team reportedly still wants at least a first rounder.

But is McNabb worth a first round pick? Well, that depends on what team it is. If the Bills or Rams are interested, then no, he isn’t. Neither Buffalo nor St. Louis is one Donovan McNabb away from competing, so acquiring a 33-year-old quarterback in exchange for a high draft pick would be unwise. Either one of those teams would be better off going with Vick, who is a low-risk, high-reward option at this point in his career because he could be had for a low draft pick.

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According to the NFL Network’s Michael Lombardi, the Eagles fully intend to retain Michael Vick’s services for the 2010 season, as they see it being a luxury to having three starter-quality quarterbacks on their roster.

While I don’t disagree that the Eagles told Lombardi this, it’s highly doubtful that the team will pay Vick the $5.25 million he’s due next season with Donovan McNabb and Kevin Kolb’s contracts also coming up at the end of the year. Vick attempted just 13 passes and 24 rushing attempts for Philly last season, which is hardly worth paying over $5 million again for next year.

The Eagles likely sold Lombardi a bill of goods in hopes of generating trade value for Vick this offseason. The Rams and Bills are two teams that may be interested in the former starter and you never know who else will get into the mix (the Raiders?).

I’d be shocked if the Eagles kept Vick for 2010, pay him $5.25 million and then wind up getting nothing for him when his contract comes up at the end of the season. There would be no point and I highly expect Philly to trade him for a fourth or fifth rounder before April’s draft.

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Michael Vick wants to be a starter next season and believes that he can be if the Eagles decide to trade him during the offseason. Oh, and he still thinks that he’s a top 10 quarterback too.

From the Philadelphia Inquirer:

Vick, who will turn 30 in June, then went back on his previous statement about returning as a backup. “As I think about it now, getting back to your previous question, it would be fairly hard [to return to the Eagles as a backup],” he said. “I know I can play in this league. I know I still have a lot of games left in me. I can be improved and be in shape and have an opportunity to go play somewhere else in the league. I’m just being optimistic and hoping that things work out in my favor. To be honest, I do want to play.”

Vick, who noted how difficult it was to play “sporadically” as he did last season, was asked by Patrick where he ranks among current NFL quarterbacks. “I still feel like I’m among the top 10, to be honest. I’m confident in my skills,” Vick said.

While you have to appreciate his confidence, I think Mikey is being a little unrealistic. I would take Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, Philip Rivers, Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Ben Roethlisberger, Tony Romo, Carson Palmer, Brett Favre, Donovan McNabb and Eli Manning over Vick in a heartbeat, and I wouldn’t hesitate to take Matt Schaub, Joe Flacco, Matt Ryan and Vince Young over him either.

That said, he’s better than Trent Edwards and Marc Bulger, so as a fan I would be intrigued to see what he could do as a starter in either Buffalo or St. Louis. Maybe he’ll get the opportunity in one of those cities next season.

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