Michael Vick no longer interested in being Philadelphia Eagles backup?
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick (7) on the bench during the game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT
Michael Vick is set to hit free agency this offseason, and it’s going to be interesting to see if anyone believes that the veteran is still worth being picked up as a starting quarterback. He’s old and injury-prone, but he’s still talented and one of the league’s better dual-threat quarterbacks. Cost is an issue, but age and injury are the biggest issues, since Vick will likely come cheap. Can someone as old as Vick truly be committed to as a starting quarterback? Usually when teams pick up a new QB to be their starter, they are looking for a young guy who they can build a franchise around, and they would also want someone who can be counted on to stay healthy. Vick doesn’t fit either billing, but a team that likes his raw talent and experience could overlook those concerns.
It was reported last month that Vick would be amicable to a return to Philly as a backup to Nick Foles, since he loves the city and is close with Foles. That seemed to be the best thing for Vick, because he would be able to stay with the Eagles organization and get a decent contract to back up Foles. He knows the offense, he fits the offense, and he would make a great backup for the Eagles.
That sounded like a great idea on paper, but it now looks like Vick has changed his tune and is no longer open to being a backup in this league. According to NJ.com, Vick is adamant that he’s still a starter in this league and has little interest in staying in Philadelphia to be a backup, “I’m still a starter. I’m not a backup quarterback.”
It’s unclear why Vick has changed his outlook, but it’s a more down-to-earth, pragmatic, and honest look at things, and we shouldn’t be surprised by what Vick is saying. There’s nothing wrong with him viewing himself as a starter, and I would be honest if he just said, “Yeah, I give up. I’m just a friggin’ backup.” The way I see it, Vick will try as hard as possible to sell himself as a starter to other teams, but he would rather be the Eagles backup than the backup for any other team. But the cynical part of me says, “Maybe he’s changing his voice, because the Eagles told him that they don’t want him back as a backup.”