Vick Placed on Roster Exempt List; Won’t Practice

On Friday, Eagles president Joe Banner spoke to Howard Eskin on WIP in Philadelphia and explained that there were a number of determinant factors as to whether Vick would make the opening day roster:

From Sports Radio Interviews:

“I think it’s really going to depend upon how clear cut we think the cuts are. And frankly if we come out of the game tonight with healthy players and no injuries, you know if we come out if this game with some players that are maybe backups but would play in the opening games and they have injuries that are two-three week injuries. It puts more pressure on that roster so I think we have to see where we come out on the cuts and how healthy we come out of tonight’s game before we will be able to determine that.”

But he’s suspended, right? Why does it matter whether he makes the opening day roster?

Football technicalities!

If the Eagles place Vick on their exempt roster, he can attend meetings, but he won’t be allowed to practice. Which is why their decision to sign Antonio Dixon, a defensive tackle that was cut by the Redskins this weekend, puts Vick in a precarious place. Despite the team’s decision to part ways with backup-QB A.J. Feeley, the Eagles gave the extra roster spot to Dixon, meaning Vick will start the season as a roster exemption, attending meetings with his teammates, but unable to benefit from any extra reps in practice.

For a quarterback that’s been out of football for more than two years, those extra reps might have been enormously beneficial. Still, this is Mike Vick we’re talking about, and his journey back to the NFL has been sysyphean in every respect, so why not add one more obstacle?

(And for what it’s worth, the team can still relegate one of its other players to the practice squad at any time to make room for Vick to practice.)