Less than a year ago, Philadelphia Eagles head coach Andy Reid had little faith in his second-string Quarterback Michael Vick and was unsure if he'd ever be used as more than just a back-up. But a concussion sustained to Reid's starting QB Kevin Kolb during the first half of the season-opener against Green Bay would force Vick into the starting role, an area he would soon become quite familiar with as he went on to start 12 games at the helm for the Eagles, leading them to a 10-6 record and an NFC Eastern division title. Despite being the starting quarterback in only three quarters of the season, Vick compiled over 3,000 yards passing and nearly 700 yards rushing to earn the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year Award and make a strong case for himself in the MVP voting which was eventually won by New England's Tom Brady.
In hopes of proving their commitment to the former number one overall pick of the 2001 NFL Draft this offseason, the Eagles dealt QB Kevin Kolb to the Cardinals, giving Vick sole possession of the starting job. But just in case Philadelphia's front-office didn't make themselves clear, they invested a 6-year, $100 Million contract into the 4-time Pro Bowler on Monday with nearly $40 Million guaranteed. For Vick, the deal makes him the third highest paid player at his position behind Peyton Manning and Tom Brady and is his second contract worth $100 Million as he signed a 10-year, $130 Million pact in 2005 while a member of the Atlanta Falcons.
For Vick, the last few years have been like something of a movie script given it wasn't long ago that many declared his days as a professional football player to be over. With a new $100 Million contract in hand, labeling Vick as the most humbled guy in the league would be an understatement considering it was just four years ago that he was the most despised man to don a uniform for his role behind one of the biggest illegal dog fighting businesses in recent years. After spending two years behind bars, Vick appears to be better than ever coming off a year in which he set career-high's in completion percentage (62.6), passing yards (3,018) and touchdowns (21) as well as a QB rating of 100.2. All of which have contributed to the Eagles' decision to make Vick the cornerstone of their franchise.
However, the Eagles may have jumped the gun on their contract to Vick a bit early granted he still has a year left on his current deal. While I personally think their offer was a bit premature considering Vick only started 12 games last year and probably won't have as good of a year as he had during his 2010 campaign, the move is somewhat understandable fearing they'd lose Vick to free-agency the following offseason. Though I don't doubt Vick's talents one bit, I do doubt the possibility of him contributing the way he did last year while staying healthy all 16 games. Luckily they acquired the experienced Vince Young to back up Vick if necessary. With Vick's name checked off the list, Eagles general manager Howie Roseman can now focus primarily on striking a deal with his Pro Bowl wide-out DeSean Jackson who came into training camp in holdout mode.
Though I wouldn't go as far as calling the Eagles a "dream team" like some have following the flurry of acquisitions, I do like what they've done this offseason and would be very disappointed along with the rest of the country if they failed to win their division. It won't be easy though as the rival Cowboys who appear to have gotten rid of some dead weight (WR Roy Williams), look to spoil the party with a healthy Tony Romo back in the lineup.
No comments:
Post a Comment