Kevin Kolb the Savior of San Francisco? Scouting Kolb and the 49ers

Kevin Kolb wants to leave Philadelphia.

After the Eagles' loss last night, Kolb was quoted as saying, "I want to start somewhere."

Michael Vick, who stole Kolb's starting job early in the year, is a free agent that many expect the Eagles to re-sign. If Vick is back in Philadelphia next fall, Kolb does not want to be.

The San Francisco 49ers just hired head coach Jim Harbaugh from Stanford to install the famed West Coast offense and turn around the franchise's recent embarrassment on the field. Step one for Harbaugh and new general manager Trent Baalke will be finding a quarterback.

The 49ers roster today reads like a who's who of busts at the quarterback position. Alex Smith: bust. David Carr: bust. Troy Smith: ineffective. Nate Davis: project.

The first question we must all ask is whether or not Kolb is a good fit for the 49ers' West Coast offense.

The Eagles under Andy Reid—who learned from Mike Holmgren, who learned from Bill Walsh—have run a version of the WCO for years now. This not only makes Kolb an intriguing prospect for the 49ers, it also means you will hear many fans clamoring for Donovan McNabb or Michael Vick to come to the Bay.

Kolb has experience in the system and has shown he can be productive. However, we are talking about a player with only a handful of starts to critique.

Let's take a look at the traits most important to playing quarterback in the WCO.

Accuracy

You want a quarterback who has a good inventory of passes he can throw accurately. This includes everything from quick slants and screen passes to a 15-yard out.

Being able to throw with complete range is important, but not necessary. Touch cannot be underestimated. Having great touch separates Joe Montana from Steve Bono.

Arm Strength

One of the most overrated aspects of any quarterback is his arm strength. Some quarterbacks can throw 80 yards but are not good passers. 

Good passing has to do with timing, accuracy and throwing a ball with touch so it is catchable. Having the ability to throw the ball on a line for 35 yards is much more important than being able to air it out for 80-plus.

Delivery

A quick delivery is incredibly important to the system. Kolb has shown a good, quick delivery that is very compact and not delayed. Kolb does a good job here, but as a young quarterback he is still telegraphing his throws too much. Kolb has no wasted motion in his delivery, though, and we love this.

Football IQ

The ability to read a defense is not something many quarterbacks can do right out of college. Kolb has the benefit of gaining reps at the NFL level through practices, preseason games and a few regular season starts. In comparison with the many rookie quarterbacks available, this makes Kolb all the more tempting to the 49ers.

The WCO requires quarterbacks to make reads at the primary and secondary receivers based on the coverage the quarterback sees. Kolb has shown a good ability to locate the secondary receiver, something we have downgraded draft prospects Blaine Gabbert and Ryan Mallett for.

Mobility

An ability to avoid the pass rush is crucial. Some quarterbacks, like Michael Vick, use their mobility to escape the pocket and run. Kolb has the ability to move well in and out of the pocket, but he is not a pure threat to run in the way Steve Young was or Vick is.

Overall quickness and agility are keys here, and Kolb has shown both when in college at Houston and in the NFL.

Throw on the Run

The ability to get outside the pocket and break a defense with a throw on the run is so important to the WCO. Steve Young, Joe Montana, Donovan McNabb...all have been great at moving the pocket and completing passes downfield.

Kolb is built in this same mold and can extend the play by making moves outside the tackle box and pressuring a defense into mistakes.

Verdict

We like the idea of adding Kevin Kolb to the 49ers, but it all comes down to price. Should the Eagles want a first-round pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, the 49ers would be wise to consider other free agents and potential draft picks.

The team is not far from competing for a playoff berth. Adding a consistent passer who can grow in this system will be the No. 1 goal of Harbaugh. Kolb gives the 49ers a player who can step in and run the offense from day one. A rookie will not be able to do that.