More than two months after the 2010 season ended, the Philadelphia Eagles are still standing pat regarding their quarterback depth chart.
Donovan McNabb, Kevin Kolb, Mike Vick. Each is under contract for 2010. None are under contract for 2011.
By all indications (including recent reports from Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News and Peter King of SI.com), the Eagles are playing the waiting game, hoping that some team eventually will make them an offer they can’t refuse for McNabb or Kolb — and/or an offer that they’d at least be willing to accept for Vick.
Though the Eagles have not yet fully mastered the on-field aspects of football, given the lack of a silver trophy in the lobby, they have figured out many of the off-field nuances. They know how to sign young players to long-term deals worth less money than the Eagles would have to pay if they’d waited for the players to become stars. When there was a salary cap, the Eagles managed it as well as anyone. And when it comes to doing deals with other teams, they’re willing to apply a poker face — and they’re willing to do whatever they have to do to make a bluff look like anything but a bluff.
But they’d be wise to take a long look at the problems that the Cleveland Browns created by not pulling the trigger when they had the chance to do so regarding their own quarterback mess. Two years ago, the Browns could have traded Derek Anderson for something more than what they got last week, when they cut him. Last year, the Browns could have traded Brady Quinn for something more than what they got on Sunday, when they handed him to the Broncos for a mediocre tailback, a low-round draft pick, and the chance at something else in 2011 if Quinn becomes in 2010 what he hasn’t been in 2007, 2008, or 2009.
So the Browns waited too long — and instead of getting real value for one of the two quarterbacks they essentially got nothing.
The Eagles could be facing the same issue, if they wait too long to resolve the debate between McNabb and Kolb. Depending on the rules that will apply in 2011, they might not be able to keep both of them absent contract extensions.
Of course, the Eagles might try to find a way to Band-Aid the situation for one more year, but that only delays the inevitable. Though it’s important for every team to have two quarterbacks who can play, it’s tricky to keep two starting quarterbacks.
That’s what the Eagles think they have in McNabb and Kolb. And they continue to think it’s a good thing. Depending on how this story plays out, it might not be a good thing at all.
Peyton Hillis isn’t mediocre Florio; obviously he wasn’t on your fantasy team in ’08.
@BLUE EYED DEVILS….YOUR A RACIST PRICK!!!
This long winded post reporting nothing is completely worthless but will nonetheless get 100 responses simply because it includes two things- the name “Mike Vick”, and the Eagles.
Florio knows this, and it is the sole reason for this post. I for, one, will not be dragged into it.
So race baiters, Vick defenders, and Eagle haters, have at it. I have more have more important things to do today.
both derek anderson and brady quinn are trash.
Eagles have three pro bowl qbs
And if they hold onto all 3 until the end of next year, they may be in big trouble. If the franchise tag and restricted free agency are no longer available, they will have 3 FA QB’s. Vick will be pissed for being kept here and won’t re-sign, McNabb’s feelings will be hurt and may just walk, and Kolb would likely be the most sought after QB of the 3, causing a bidding war for his services.
Florio: Don’t question the Eagles strategy. They are smarter than you, me, and everyone else. If they make a trade, they will say they were presented an offer they couldn’t refuse. If they don’t make a trade, they will say they are happy with their QB’s and never intended to trade them and the whole thing was a left-wing media hit job. The best line of the article was “…Though the Eagles have not yet fully mastered the on-field aspects of football, given the lack of a silver trophy in the lobby…” EXACTLY!
as always banner wants too much,i remember 2 years ago when the asking price was 3 # 1 s for mcnabb …..they denied that was true but but by now i know banner !
To the Broncos. Quinn to the Broncos. It’s early, we know.
Please don’t ever, ever compare the Browns from the past decade to the Eagles.
Father of the year Andy Reid jumped the shark 5 years ago. They are the bizarro Buffalo Bills-McLoser can’t win the game to get to the big game!
Boy, the Eagles sure are “The Gold Standard.” I really wish that my favorite team was run by a bunch of arrogant jerks who have never won a thing. Boy, they are sure good.
I do feel a little sorry for the Iggle fan because their brain size limits their ability to understand just why and how the rest of the division has passed them by while still being a model franchise. Poor ignorant fools.
Hail to the Redskins.
is Kolb suddenly a started based off of 2 300yrd games (one against the chiefs no less)?
and i’m curious, since McNabb has gotten to what? 5 NFC championships and 1 Superbowl game does that make him horrific and not worthy of starting?
i mean if thats the case, then what about the other 25+ non Superbowl winning QB’s?
Couldn’t be more right about the Browns. As usual they blew it.
bad with on the field? 5 NFC Championship appearances in 8 years buddy!!! While they hav’nt won a SB, I dont think you can compare them to the Lions or anything…
In the Ried era, the Eagles are constant contenders so watch what you say Florio. Your a real idiot!
Eagles should trade McNabb for the best possible value then go with Kolb. Problem solved!!!!
hillis is a stud. broncos 08 playoff hopes died with him getting injured.
@Cleg
Please explain how the Redskins passed the Eagles by. I guess you failed to notice the 12 losses that the Redskins accrued last year.
Can’t be the champ if you are never a contender. The Eagles contend most years, and are always a couple of plays away from the trophy. I’ll take their approach with a good chance to win every year, because sooner or later the injuries, calls, talent, and weather (etc) will all come together.
I’ll trust the Eagles front office to do the best for themselves. They aren’t in the business of making other teams better without boosting their own team more.
brownsfn says:
March 16, 2010 8:40 AM
@BLUE EYED DEVILS….YOUR A RACIST PRICK!!!
————————————————–
you’re
you are
you’re welcome
you are welcome
@Cleg
Let me know when the Redskins have passed anybody by. Besides the Rams, Lions, and Bucs. Did you notice how even the Raiders, Chiefs, and Browns had better seasons than the Redskins? Jealousy is a funny thing.
“is Kolb suddenly a started based off of 2 300yrd games (one against the chiefs no less)?”
Who was the other game against? And why did you leave that out…like we didn’t all know? Or are you trying to fool yourself?
Sanchez was a starting QB based on less than that. And he did pretty good last year. No?
How is it that, when people go at McNabb, his supporters will say that the QB is just one of many many factors in a team’s success or failure. And therefore McNabb really isn’t a problem or cause of the team’s ever-declining performance.
Yet, usually in the same sentence, they claim that Kolb will single-handedly bring down the franchise.
It’s a contradiction.
realitypolice says:
March 16, 2010 8:41 AM
This long winded post reporting nothing is completely worthless but will nonetheless get 100 responses simply because it includes two things- the name “Mike Vick”, and the Eagles.
Florio knows this, and it is the sole reason for this post. I for, one, will not be dragged into it.
==========================================================
But you were still the 3rd person to post.
“Dice14 says:
March 16, 2010 8:54 AM
Please don’t ever, ever compare the Browns from the past decade to the Eagles.”
How about the Joe Kuharich Eagles? Nope, the Browns from the past decade were better!
Mooch says:
March 16, 2010 9:18 AM
“is Kolb suddenly a started based off of 2 300yrd games (one against the chiefs no less)?”
Who was the other game against? And why did you leave that out…like we didn’t all know? Or are you trying to fool yourself?
Sanchez was a starting QB based on less than that. And he did pretty good last year. No?
How is it that, when people go at McNabb, his supporters will say that the QB is just one of many many factors in a team’s success or failure. And therefore McNabb really isn’t a problem or cause of the team’s ever-declining performance.
Yet, usually in the same sentence, they claim that Kolb will single-handedly bring down the franchise.
It’s a contradiction.
————————————————–
i’m not an eagles fan, nor a mcnabb fan
i just can’t stand the horrible fans in philly sending the guy out to pasture for an unproven QB, when McNabb has done nothing but help the team contend year after year
If McNabb never set foot in Philly, the eagles would be on par with the browns, and there is no denying that
@ Cleg,
Brilliant observation!
I agree 100% that the Washington Redskins have passed the Eagles by in two, very important, category’s:
High Draft picks(by virtue of Washington being a 5 win team every season for the last decade)
Free Agency(we all know Washington wins in April, not in December)
Maybe you meant Dallas…Nah, we’ve owned them for the last decade. They got lucky a couple of years, even a blind squirrel will find the occassional nut!
Maybe the $100 million man, Haynesworth, will actually stay on the field for an entire game this season. Maybe Portis can throw on one of this many disquises, including his playing uniform(best disquise of all). Maybe the ownership will stop charging premium dollar for what has largely been an inferior product for the last decade. Maybe Cleg will one day get a clue!
We can only hope!
this team always has some kind of drama….they hold their assets like their freaking gold and smugly would rather lose out that make any kind of move….and they wonder why they can’t close….it’s in their nature
@ all you delusional Iggle fans. I know you say you don’t like to live in the past but your team has no silver trophy’s, mine has three, the pukes in Dallas have five and the g-strings have three. The Skins have been down for years but our owner has recognized the error of his ways – unlike yours – and will put the pieces together that will lead to more silver trophy’s. As a friend of mine likes to say, the Eagles are the cotton Champs – you have closets full of NFC East Chamption T-Shirts and not much else. I know you poor saps don’t understand these issues but you should really try because you just make fools of yourselves otherwise.
HAHA. Hang onto all 3 of these QB’s and get nothing for them while you lose in the first round of the playoffs again.
“i just can’t stand the horrible fans in philly sending the guy out to pasture for an unproven QB, when McNabb has done nothing but help the team contend year after year”
Ten years. No titles. Team only contended when the defense was great, now that it stinks the team is nowhere near a contender.
Time to move on. This is sports, not a popularity contest. Tell me what city you cheer for, and I will cite numerous examples of your franchises doing the same thing. It’s a business.
And why are the fans here “horrible”? Because ESPN told you so? Because 30 drunks booed McNabb on draft day…and only 30,000+ #5 jerseys are on display every Sunday at the Linc?
“If McNabb never set foot in Philly, the eagles would be on par with the browns, and there is no denying that”
That’s a ridiculous statement. How could you know that? Maybe we’d have drafted Drew Brees in 2001. You automatically speculate that only worst happens in the absence of McNabb. It could go either way.
McNabb has had a very good run here, but now that the team is 2 years away from coming back on the upswing, does it not make sense to trade your biggest chip who won’t be here when that all comes together?
Ten years. Zero titles. The sample size is more than adequate to project this era is over. We hit the ceiling years ago.
Or would you nring back McNabb in 2010, 2011, and 2012?
“Though the Eagles have not yet fully mastered the on-field aspects of football, given the lack of a silver trophy in the lobby…”
Come on, Florio – that’s the kind of clueless BS I’d expect from Vox or Chap.
You are incorrectly acting under the assumption that they need to or really want to trade either of their first two qbs.
I respect the Eagles & what they have done the past decade.
They must be thinking that they have 2 more prime trade opportunities for 1 of their QBs: during the draft & post-draft.
Hopefully they better understand the market value of each QB now:
Vick- he now is slow & does not look like a pocket passer
Kolb- looks decent with big upside
McNabb- proven, stud QB who has more in the tank.
They never should have paid Vick that roster bonus. They ONLY way that makes sense to me is if McNabb or Kolb is traded and Vick is a backup.
Cleg -
So the Skins have recently bypassed the Eagles because they won trophies decades ago. That makes a ton of sense.
“When there was a salary cap, the Eagles managed it as well as anyone.”
Remember when they paid Westbrook a $3 million bonus TWICE?
“and i’m curious, since McNabb has gotten to what? 5 NFC championships and 1 Superbowl game does that make him horrific and not worthy of starting?”
Possibly. I mean Troy Aikman won three Super Bowls and he’s not worthy of starting.
2 starts against piss poor teams and Kolb is already considered the savior? Thank you, Eagle nation, for that much needed chuckle this morning.
McNabb is only part of the problem in Philly. Reid is the other part, and yet they keep holding onto both of them like their lives depended on it. I hope the Eagles lock them both up for the next 5 years
“Can’t be the champ if you are never a contender. The Eagles contend most years, and are always a couple of plays away from the trophy.”
Which couple of plays would have won them a Super Bowl this past season?
“bwa ha ha”
“High Draft picks(by virtue of Washington being a 5 win team every season for the last decade)”
That’s like saying that the 0-3gles have been competitive every season for the last decade.
“When there was a salary cap, the Eagles managed it as well as anyone.”
Remember when they paid Westbrook a $3 million bonus TWICE?
____________________
Ken Hamlin – 6 years, $39 million
Roy Williams – 5 years, $45 million
Flozell Adams – 6 years, $43 million
Marion Barber – 7 years, $45 million
Terrence Newman – 6 years, $50 million
Those are some horrific contracts.
Actually, Vox, a couple of plays could have knocked the ‘girls out of the playoffs. You won a few games last year, and I’ll let you ride that pony till it turns the other way.
I’ll stand by the way the Eagles are going about their football business. Every season is full of ifs and the best thing you can do is prepare for as many as possible. The Eagles missed badly on the Andrews bros, and their Safety, They also lost a really quality MLB early and never recovered. All of that and still carried the chance to win the Div to that last game. Your ‘girls were very lucky with injuries. That may not be the same next time around.
The problem is you’d think they learned from the Lito Sheppard thing. They were offered a 2, turned it down in their usual arrogance. A year later they had to settle for a conditional 5th.
@ Vick Veritas,
Just when I thought you finally learned something. Last time I checked, 11-5 with a banged up squad was pretty good!
“That’s like saying that the 0-3gles have been competitive every season for the last decade.”
2000 2-0 over Dallas, 1-1 in playoffs
2001 2-0 over Dallas, 2-1 in playoffs
2002 2-0 over Dallas, 1-1 in playoffs(1st rd bye)
2003 1-1 vs. Dallas, 1-1 in playoffs(1st rd bye)
2004 2-0 over Dallas 2-1 in playoffs(1st rd bye)
2005 0-2 vs. Dallas
2006 2-0 over Dallas, 1-1 in playoffs
2007 1-1 vs. Dallas
2008 1-1 vs. Dallas 2-1 in playoffs
2009 0-2 vs. Dallas 0-1 in playoffs(Dallas FINALLY wins a playoff game)
13-7 vs. Dallas in 10yrs
10-8 in the playoffs
Dallas 1-2 in the playoffs during that time.
No wonder Vick Veritas has so much venom towards Philly…he’s had so many miserable Sundays, most famously 44-6(it just sounds good).
BTW, March Sanchez and Rex Ryan have more playoff wins, in ONE season, than Doughboy Phillips/Rom-O-Choke have in their time together.
BTW, Philly had Owens for 1½ seasons and got to a Super Bowl…how did Owens fare with Rom-O-Choke?
Steers & Queers!
Florio – that is a very loose comparison between Anderson/Quinn and McNabb/Kolb. I understand the situation similarities, but you’re talking hugely different asset values. If the Eagles have to they will go into the season with McNabb/Kolb/Vick. And then in 2011 they will sign Kolb to a contract, franchise McNabb and let Vick walk. They look at it as a production thing…. can they get more value out of a player by keeping him or out of whatever draft pick they’ll get for compensation?
Who thinks they can get more from McNabb this year then they would a 2nd round pick? Odds are on McNabb. Same thing for say a 4th round pick for Vick.
Really, if they want to win right now, why would they let those players go without getting good compensation in return? If someone steps up to the table with a great offer they will unload McNabb. And I think it will only take a good offer for Vick. Everything will flush out right before and after the draft.
McNabb (6) & Vick (3) have more pro bowls than any other team’s quarterbacks………….
Name 5 active quarterbacks with more pro bowls than McNabb…………..
Hell, how many even has more than Vick, who has only played 4 full seasons………….
- Cutler
- Quinn
- Anderson
- Simms
- Carr
Etc…
Is this the best the great hopes can serve up to justify McNabb or Vick being useless……….
Hell when the Falcons drafted Ryan it was said, Vick had not achieved anything, yet after 2 seasons, Ryan has Z E RO Playoff wins or pro bowl selections.
In fact, his rookie year was better than his sophomore season, due mainly to that cheesy rookie schedule.
We all know what Vick did in his sophomore season, with a bunch of “no names”, in case you have forgotten, he was the 1st quarterback to lead their team into Green Bay in the playoffs and leave with a victory and he finished 2nd in the MVP voting, all this in his sophomore season.
Every game he plays just makes Vick look that much more vital than “YOU” people care to believe.
“The Black Quarterback” – the future of the NFL…………
Sorry guys, just like the NBA – it’s a reality……….
Ha ha ha
How is Michael Vick better now than he was back in 2002?
I think you miss the point.
He has no value.
It’s easy to armchair quarterback their moves but the Eagles have done a great job, more or less, in managing their roster for a while now. I defer to them. That said, here comes the armchair quarterbacking.
I don’t think they are worried about keeping all 3 on the roster next year. If they don’t get what they want then I can see them doing that. McNabb is going to be gone by this time next year however you cut it. They want to go with their youth. If I were McNabb I’d be pressing for a trade now while my marketability is greatest. In terms of Vick. He’s a nice to have. They can give him more reps and bump up his value. And worst case they have a backup qb who they can experiment weird schemes with. He’s not going anywhere unless there is a great offer or the Eagles pick up a qb in the draft as insurance for Kolb. McNabb is the big trade bait here.
Curiosly I think you’re seeing some insight into the mindset of management throughout the league with the McNabb situation. He’s got 4 or 5 more years at a high level in him. But nobody’s breaking the bank to make a move for him (that we are aware of). I think this tells you that management values the promise of youth over actual guaranteed production. You saw the same thing happen with Jeff Garcia. There’s a real psychological bias going on here.
Blue eye devil,
Dude I am sorry you just dont get it. You are the reason why white people cant stand some black people. You think for some reason that Mike Dick is entitled to something…. He is not. He can not even beat out a white QB who has not even played. I will not even comment on the fact you say the black qb is the future. You are just as pathetic as Vick is. I notice you post all the time here and it always has race in it, ask yourself why? For the last time Mike Vick is a terrible qb, he is a gimmick and a sideshow and that is all he will be. As for you all I can say is WOW, you give negros a bad name. No matter what you thought when our president got elected, you have not seen any of his help have you. You need to check yourself.
this isn’t news
please stop bating cowboys fans and this blueeyedevils clown for page comments
I think its funny how some people try to act like Philly is in such bad shape with their QB situation because none of them are signed throughout this season. Do you really think that the Eagles dont have a plan in mind?? We have until week 5 of the 2010 season to trade any of our 3 QB’s so all you haters need to quit whining about our QB’s and just pray that your 2nd string QB can someday be as good as our 3rd stringer. And if Philly decides to keep all 3 then I honestly would even worry about injuries at the QB position because I feel that any of the 3 can lead us into the postseason.
VC – none of them are signed beyond 2010. That is why this strategy makes no sense.
Though its important for every team to have 2 starting QB’s who can play, its tricky to keep 2 starting QB’s” Hey Florio, maybe you forgot about McNabbs past injury issues. I dont think theres ONE team in the NFL that wouldnt want a starting caliber QB as a backup. Jeff Garcia seemed to work out well for Philly in ’06.
Oh Cleg, you poor, unintelligent little boy. I almost feel sorry for you. Are you telling us that Dannyboy isn’t an arrogant jerk? I’m sorry, has Dannyboy produced the Gold Standard? Should the NFL follow his great ownership path? You, or any redskin fan shouldn’t even be allowed to post anything because your team has not been relevant for over 10 years. You have no argument for anything. You would LOVE to have just 1 NFC east champion t-shirt, wouldn’t you? You probably weren’t even alive the last time the redskins were any good. Congratulations on your 1992 trophy!
Thats exactly the problem with the Eagles.
The Front Office cares more about people thinking their good with the cap, making trades, and getting good value for players then they do about winning football games.
Every year there are a bunch of the things the Eagles could have done that would have gave them a better chance of winning the superbowl that year. But they dont do it because their worried that signing a certain player to a contract even if it wins a superbowl in the first year or 2 might not look so good in the 4th or 5th year.
They dont want people to think they over paid so instead they will go out and get a couple bargain basement players that can make the team just good enough to be competitive but not good enough to win it all.
They rather lose in the playoffs 2 years in a row then win a superbowl 1 year and then not make the playoffs the next and thats whats wrong with the Eagles.
Trade Kolb and Dmac for 2nd round picks. If you call Seattle and say “hey, were willing to deal Kolb and Mcnabb for 2nd round picks” they will gladly give one. St. Louis too, Raiders will give a 1st round, haha.
@ Blue Eyed Evil,
Where did all that brilliant decision making get Steve McNair?
Now you mention the NBA(ahem thug league)
You can take the black athlete outta the hood, but you can’t take the hood outta the black athlete.
Of course, I’m sure this is nothing new to you though!
ha….ha….ha!
Rickah99 says:
March 16, 2010 2:27 PM
@ Blue Eyed Evil,
Where did all that brilliant decision making get Steve McNair?
Now you mention the NBA(ahem thug league)
You can take the black athlete outta the hood, but you can’t take the hood outta the black athlete.
Of course, I’m sure this is nothing new to you though!
ha….ha….ha!
————————-
So now Big Ben is black…………
Ha ha ha
Florio- Dumb comparison between the Browns and Eagles. P.S. there was no news to report here… can you go 2 days without writing something about the Eagles QB situation, which is obviously not changing?
# Cleg says: March 16, 2010 8:56 AM
Boy, the Eagles sure are “The Gold Standard.” I really wish that my favorite team was run by a bunch of arrogant jerks who have never won a thing. Boy, they are sure good.
I do feel a little sorry for the Iggle fan because their brain size limits their ability to understand just why and how the rest of the division has passed them by while still being a model franchise. Poor ignorant fools.
Hail to the Redskins.
————–
Wow. A Redskins fan making fun of the Eagles is like when your grandfather makes fun of kids today and the way they dance, and then tells you about how great he was at the jitterbug.
Congrats, grampa. You were cool decades ago. Now, you’re a dried up husk that people only pretend to respect and laugh at behind your back. Or, well, the Redkins are so pathetic we do it to their faces.
Fail to the Deadskins.
this shouild tell you moron reporters that Andy Reid does what he wants to do not the reports…
When I sat next to Phil Savage at a sports banquet dinner just before the start of the 2008 season I asked him about the trade value of Quinn since he sat in 2007. His response was simple; since Quinn was drafted in the first round in 2007, he still garnered a first round pick, even though he sat and played for a crummy team (even though they were 10-6 that year and just missed the playoffs, they had some shady wins). So if this holds true, and Kolb has thrown 2 or 3 300 yard games, Eagles will want first and third round plus either a second next year or Rogers. Steep price for a QB with no one to throw too.
@Rikah99
Thanks for the breakdown on the Eagles’ stellar decade. Were they able to continue at that pace, they would pull even with Dallas record wise in about 25 years (they’re presently 14 games behind). Lombardi trophies is a separate subject.