Michael Vick: Why He Needs To Force an In-Season Trade Out of Philly
Michael Vick continued to stake his claim to be the Eagles' starting quarterback, even after Kevin Kolb returns, with an excellent game against the Detroit Lions.
Vick threw for 283 yards and a pair of touchdowns Sunday, and rushed for 37 yards on 7 carries. To most observers, it appears that Vick has recaptured the spark that made him the most exciting player in football before he went to jail in 2007.
But when Kolb returns from his concussion, will Vick still be an Eagle? Here are 10 reasons why he should force a trade.
10. The Eagles Benefit From a Vick Trade
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Vick is proving himself to be a valuable commodity in the NFL once more. That means he can command a good salary, help fill stadiums, and inject life into a franchise.
The Eagles have to know this by now. Whether they snag a bunch of draft picks, or a couple of proven defensive players, or a combination of the two, expect Vick to command a fairly hefty price tag. But there are teams willing to pay it, and the Eagles could use more draft picks or proven producers on this team. In short, a trade would be a win-win, which means it would happen, if Vick pushed for it.
9. His Past
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A year ago, people associated Vick primarily with the dogfighting scandals he'd gone to prison for. It was the first thing that popped into many fans heads. His play on the field hadn't exactly helped to dispel those thoughts either.
But now, people are beginning to look at Vick the same way they did in Atlanta: as a guy whose unique skills give his team a chance to win every week.
The process of recapturing his career isn't over yet. If he stays in Philly, people will always associate him with the dogfighting rings. But, if he leaves, gets a true fresh start as an NFL starting quarterback, then those crimes will slowly fade from our memory.
8. Brent Celek
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Celek is the Eagles' fourth-year tight end and one of their best weapons. He's got good hands, size and has ok speed. You know who doesn't throw him the ball? Michael Vick. You know who does? Kevin Kolb.
Celek just signed a lucrative six-year contract extension last year. Do you think the Eagles are going to be happy if their expensive, talented tight end isn't catching passes? Neither do I. For Celek's sake, Vick needs to get out of Philly.
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7. The City Of Philadelphia
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The city of Brotherly Love has a reputation for being a tough town. They're as fickle as NFL fans come, quick to boo lackluster performances. If they decide they don't like you (like a certain Eagle-turned-Redskin), they'll never let up.
So what happens if this week, Vick has a bad game and the Eagles lose? The boo birds will be out in full force. So, in other words, while they love him now, they'll probably find a reason to hate him next week.
Vick needs an environment where the ups and downs that are sure to come from his style of play don't lead to him being run out of town. Philadelphia is not that kind of environment. If Vick knows what's good for him, he'll get out while the getting's good.
6. His Skill Set
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Vick is not a pocket passer. In the past, he's struggled most when he's making throws from a stationary position. His 53.9% completion percentage for his career ranks him outside the top 125 quarterbacks in NFL history.
Vick has an excellent arm, and the skills to be a good passer. But his biggest assets are his legs. He's the fastest, most mobile quarterback in the NFL, and he makes most of his impact outside the pocket.
Why is this a problem? Philly had one of those quarterbacks before: Donovan McNabb. What happened? The Eagles took away that dynamism with an offense that required McNabb to stay in the pocket to make plays. Vick plays in that same offense now. So, he needs to leave.
5. The Eagles' Offensive System
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Offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg's system is not a good fit for Vick or his skill set. Philly runs a West Coast-style offense, which involves short, accurate passes. While there are deep throws, it's primarily a dink and dunk style of play.
Vick's biggest weakness is his accuracy. He faced a poor pass defense in Detroit last week, and he won't have that kind of success week in and week out.
4. The Eagles' Defense
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Let's make this clear: When Shaun Hill can throw for 335 yards against you, your defense isn't very good. The Eagles couldn't stop the Lions on the pass or the run. They looked bad against the Lions this week and against the Packers in Week 1.
What does that mean? Expect lots of passing from Vick, without much chance of running the ball. When Vick has to throw to keep his team in a game, the Eagles will be in trouble.
3. Andy Reid
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Andy Reid is stubborn. He routinely loves to throw the ball 40-50 times over the course of the game, regardless of the situation or whether the opponent can stop the run. He sucked the life out of McNabb, who was Vick-like early in his Philadelphia career. What makes you think he won't do that to Vick too?
Even against the Packers, there were several times when Vick had significant chunks of green space in front of him, but elected to throw to a covered receiver anyway. The old Vick would have seen the opportunity and taken off. But Reid's Vick tried to force the ball in anyway.
If Vick wants to be successful in his comeback, he needs to get out from under Reid and his pass-happy offense.
2. Kevin Kolb
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Remember Kolb? The strong-armed kid from Houston was supposed to be the quarterback of the future in Philly. According to Reid, Kolb will start after he's recovered from his concussion.
That means Vick returns to the bench. Vick has proven that he hasn't lost the talent that made defensive coordinators fear him for so long in Atlanta. With that kind of talent, he has no business being on the bench.
1. There's a Market For Him
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Let's see; who could use a strong-armed, dynamic, exciting quarterback, who makes defensive coordinators wet their pants when they see they're playing them?
Here's a list: The Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, Arizona Cardinals, Seattle Seahawks, Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs, and the Miami Dolphins. So in other words, there are teams out there who'd be willing to trade for Vick. Since it's a foregone conclusion that he's going back to the bench in Philly, why not try to get traded to a team that actually wants him?
This is the biggest reason why Vick should try and get traded: With the teams who'd want him, he could get traded and start. He'd be the star of the show once more, and the world would watch him make his real return to the limelight. If the Eagles have showed us anything, that chance won't come in Philly.
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