Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
In all honesty, QB Michael Vick is lucky to even be a member of the Philadelphia Eagles at this point, after most fans and analysts alike expected him to be axed along with former Birds head coach Andy Reid after their epic collapse in 2012.
While the Eagles did decide to cut ties with Reid, they stunned everybody by bringing Vick back with a restructured one-year deal. A big reason for Vick’s return to Philly is new Eagles head coach Chip Kelly, who is the mastermind behind an innovative, up-tempo style of spread offense that must feature a mobile signal-caller, like Vick, to reach its true potential.
Now, as the Eagles are set to embark on their first preseason match-up for the 2013 NFL Season, Vick is fighting tooth-and-nail for the squad’s starting QB spot. Second-year QB Nick Foles is the vet’s main competition, while rookie gun-slinger QB Matt Barkley remains a long-shot.
So let’s be real here; if Vick does anything but absolutely shine in his 2013 preseason debut tonight, his status as assumed starting QB will be in great jeopardy. Philly fans have been calling for Vick’s dismissal for almost two years now, and it’s safe to say that this is his last chance with the Eagles.
In my opinion, Vick realistically has about four years of elite football left in him if he is able to limit his turnovers and make intelligent on-field decisions. Unfortunately for the vet, Vick will have a very limited window to prove his worth, as Foles and Barkley will be continuously splitting reps over the next couple of weeks.
Let’s see who is able to step up in live game-action for the Eagles this preseason as Coach Kelly tries to answer the burning question that everybody is asking; will it be Vick or Foles?
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