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If there is any doubt about who the starting quarterback will be in 2013 for the Philadelphia Eagles, it isn’t hard. Michael Vick will be their guy, no question about it.
Going into training camp, rookie head coach Chip Kelly will be looking at three specific quarterbacks from whom he will name the starter. These players are Vick, Nick Foles and rookie Matt Barkley. Looking at this group, Vick stands out not only because of his experience, but the truth is, Vick is still their best option in having a successful year and possibly more.
Let’s take a look at Foles, who will be entering his second season with the Eagles. When Vick went down with an injury, Foles finally got his chance to show the faithful fans of Philly what he could do. The rookie ended his season going 1-5 as a starter, throwing for 1,699 yards, six touchdown, six interceptions and fumbled five times.
As a rookie, Foles did showcase his ability and he deserves a chance for the starting job. While Foles might possibly be a more accurate, pure passing quarterback than Vick and Barkley, he isn’t ready just yet. Die hard Philly fans will chant Foles name if Vick has another slow start in the City of Brotherly Love. Though Foles will no doubt have the tools and talent to become a viable starting quarterback in this league, for now, he will be the front-runner in being Vick’s backup when the season begins.
Rookie quarterback Barkley is an interesting prospect that has a colorful history to both his game and personality. When Barkley decided to stay in college for one more year, many people and scouts alike believed that he would have a season to remember with USC.
Barkley had everything going from him, including a chance to win the Heisman Trophy, a chance to win the BCS National Championship and being the No. 1 overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft. Barkley’s senior year was a season to remember, but it was for all the wrong reasons.
Barkley had one of his worst seasons where both his leadership and skills were questioned. Instead of being the unanimous No. 1 pick overall, Barkley was drafted in the fourth round by the Eagles. He may have been one of the better players on the college level, but he has a ways to go before becoming an elite player in the NFL.
When training camp is all said and done, I expect Barkley to be third on the depth chart and continue to work hard in making a smooth transition to the NFL.
The last guy standing for the battle of quarterbacks in Philly will be Vick. Say what you want about him, but he is hands down the best player that the Eagles have to run a high-power offense under Kelly.
People will bring up the argument that Vick’s accuracy is worse than a drunk college student throwing a football. They will also bring up the fact how he is a turnover machine and kills drives in critical moments. Last, but not least, people will also bring up the fact that Vick is just not a quarterback at all.
With that being said, Vick is one of the most dynamic players the NFL has ever seen. He is a rare specimen that can flick the ball 70 yards down the field with the velocity of Brett Favre, and run like Barry Sanders at the same time.
Offensively speaking, in Vick’s generation, he may have been one of the most gifted athletes we will ever get to witness. Vick has the ability to give the Eagles a fighting chance in 2013 because of his game-changing abilities.
Vick may never be seen as a true quarterback when he hangs up his jersey, but one thing is for certain, he will always be remembered for being the most electrifying dual-threat quarterback that paved the way for players like Cam Newton, Robert Griffin lll, Russell Wilson and Colin Kaepernick.
Vick is a threat every single time he has the ball in his hands, and most importantly, he will give the Eagles hope of digging themselves out of a hole and be relative in the NFL again. This is the reason why Vick will be the starting quarterback for the Eagles, and there’s no question about it, period.
Daniel Chi is an NFL writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @DanielChi24, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google +
