Chip Kelly announced his starting quarterback for the Eagles first preseason game this Friday against the New England Patriots, and that player is veteran Michael Vick. While Kelly has remained adamant that neither Vick or Nick Foles have separated themselves in the quarterback competition, it is Vick that gets the first crack at running the Philadelphia offense in an actual game.
Michael Vick expected to start for Eagles preseason opener
The veteran QB will get the first crack at running Chip Kelly’s offense in an actual game. Will he hold off the competition and keep his job as the starter?
Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Reports have the competition as very close in training camp thus far, but playing well against the Patriots would be the first step in front of an audience as to who may take the lead to start for the Eagles.
Vick started 10 games for Philadelphia last year, completing 58.1 percent of his attempts for 2,362 yards, 12 touchdowns, 10 interceptions, while running for 332 yards and a touchdown. The Eagles went 3-7 in his starts. Meanwhile Foles, now entering his second year, completed 60.1 percent of his attempts for 1,699 yards, six touchdowns, five interceptions, and the team went 1-5 in his starts.
While most would expect for Kelly to choose the more athletic quarterback in order to run the offense we were used to seeing him employ at Oregon, the drafting of Matt Barkley would suggest that it's not going to be quite the same and that being a traditional pocket passer doesn't preclude one from starting for the Eagles. Barkley has exclusively spent time with the third-team offense, while Vick and Foles have traded off reps with the first team.
Right now the competition is coming between those two, and it looks like Vick will get the first shot.
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