THAT’S MY TAKE
Eagles sign Michael Vick
Does this make sense for Philly?
On the surface you might have to view this move with some skepticism, but if you look beyond the off-the-field and PR issues, this is actually a smart move for the Eagles. Sure there are going to be those critics who would like to bury Reid and the Eagles for signing such a despicable person, but assuming one day we all can move past the aftermath and sting of what Vick did this move could reap great rewards.
Putting all of Vick’s troubled past behind us, what makes sense is the Eagles have the kind of foundation that he can redevelop and flourish. Lets’ face it, Donovan McNabb is nearing the latter part of his career and while Vick has been out of football since 2006, at the age of 29 he’s got a little more tread on his tires.
Let’s not lose sight of reality either, even though the Eagles have signed Vick to a two year deal, they couldn’t possibly have any expectations of seeing him play any meaningful downs this season. It would make sense that this move is an initial step to a long term plan, should they get past the first step.
Certainly this is a gamble with a player of such questionable character, but with people like Tony Dungy standing in his corner, lets assume that Vick is trying to move forward in the right direction. Once you come to this point in the road, if you look at all possible paths to follow, this could be a “can’t lose” move for the Eagles.
Making a simple comparison, McNabb in his youth was very much a similar type of versatile quarterback like Vick. He was very athletic and mobile coming out of Syracuse, but obviously as we have seen had the talent and skill to excel as a pocket passer in the west-coast system.
Where the biggest difference lies between the two is Vick’s lack of development as a passer. He has tremendous skill and athletic ability and no question when in football shape, he’s a superior athlete. The plus side in this move is Vick will be learning under the tutelage of Reid, a disciple of the west-coast system (coached under Holmgren) and former quarterbacks coach (in Green Bay).
The Key here is while Vick serves his suspension; he can learn under working under the same prototype of player in McNabb and absorb the offense while he trains to get back on the field. We’ve already heard some criticism (to be expected) surrounding this move by the Eagles, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves. I don’t believe it would be realistic to expect Vick to return to the field of play this season (it would be a huge surprise).
Vick has been out of the game for two full seasons and he may be in shape, but football shape is a different story. It will take time for Vick to catch up to the game, he needs to learn the system, and he also needs to develop as a passer. The last point is why I believe there is so much sense behind this move. Reid and his staff can work with Vick to develop technique, mechanics, and skill.
Vick is loaded with gifted ability and instinct. If he can develop as a passer and master the west-coast (or at least have a good grasp of it) at the bargain price the Eagles have signed him at, what a steal he could be. Realistically the team is not investing a whole lot in the “Vick Experiment” if you will, although they probably won’t be invited to any future PETA events.
This may prove to not be the most popular move by the franchise to date, but given time there could be some genius behind it. Remember, for the casual fan and the diehard, when it comes to sports it’s basically all about winning. And what do they say “winning cures all.”
There are two parts to this experiment that will go hand in hand. While Vick has a monumental task of regaining his old form, he’ll have just as much work to do off the field.
Once again, what looms large over the image of Vick won’t just go away in a day or two, he’s got a lot of work ahead of him and a fairly large mountain to climb. The tasks that lie ahead won’t be easy to overcome, but one thing Vick has is time and with McNabb currently under center it’s safe to say, so do the Eagles.
Good move or not you can decide for yourself, I believe it makes sense for the Eagles. It’s a low risk high pay-off gamble.
That’s My Take.
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