Michael Vick was doing pretty good with the Philadelphia Eagles this season under new head coach Chip Kelly's system, but injuries plagued the veteran quarterback. This led to the emergence of Nick Foles, who is likely to be apart of the team as the starting quarterback for years to come now.As for Vick, we don't know what this means. There are definitely a number of amount of teams out there that could use a guy like Vick as a serviceable starting quarterback. Vick is 33 years old, but he believes he has enough left in the tank to deliver on a starting-caliber level for the next two-to-three years.
Vick did leave the option open last month that he could return to the Eagles as a backup quarterback to Foles, but with his contract expiring this offseason and options open to start at QB, it looks like the NFL star may be pointing to leaving the City of Brotherly Love.
Vick hinted towards leaving Philadelphia and signing elsewhere in 2014 NFL Free Agency when telling PhillyMag.com that he's "not finished."
“It’s hard to sum up my time here. Everything has been so surreal and has happened so abruptly,” said Vick right before cleaning out his locker Monday. “The thing I do know is I appreciate the fans, I appreciate this organization, I appreciate the relationships and the teammates I’ve been able to [have] in this locker room. There’s a lot of guys in here I’ll always keep in contact with and I’ll consider my brothers.”
Vick’s one-year deal is set to expire and he will become a free agent. He believes he can still play at a high level and is looking for another chance to be the No. 1 guy.
“My desire is to start,” said Vick. “I’m 33, I still feel good, and the way I’ve been able to take care of my body this year, the things that I’ve learned from, the nutrition aspect of everything, really has given me another jumpstart. I feel good, I still know I can play and I’m just confident in what I can do based on what I do every day.
“I feel like I’m built to do this, and just want to continue to keep it going. I’m not finished.”
There are definitely options open for Vick to start, and he displayed this season that he is capable of being a starting quarterback still in the league. Vick says he will turn into backup once he's 36 or 37 years old or so.
With that said, I can definitely see one of the teams that have a top 5 pick in the 2014 NFL Draft thinking of picking up Vick in free agency than taking a gamble on a quarterback in the draft.
Teddy Bridgewater, Blake Bortles and Johnny Manziel are all nice options for several teams, but it could mean on passing up talent like Sammy Watkins or Jadeveon Clowney if their project ends up becoming a bust.
The Houston Texans own the No. 1 pick in the draft and have talked about trading their pick before. They could also go ahead draft Clowney right away at No. 1 and sign Vick in free agency.
A Vick-Arian Foster combo would be deadly for opposing defenses, along with a passing threat in Andre Johnson. The Texans defense can then get a quick reboot with Clowney playing the defensive line or being an outside 3-4 linebacker/pass-rusher.
The Jacksonville Jaguars, Cleveland Browns and Oakland Raiders also could do the same thing with Vick. The Jaguars seem like a nice fit, and it would be similar what it is for Houston. I can definitely see the same in Cleveland, and it would look like a very nice fit for the Browns. For Oakland, it's not as realistic, but there's a shot.
A fit I really like is in Minnesota with the Vikings. The Vikings hold the No. 8 pick, but it is very well possible that Bortles, Manziel and Bridgewater are all gone by then. Instead of trading up to get one of those three QBs, they can pick up a guy like Sammy Watkins and sign Vick.
It's obvious Adrian Peterson slowed down last season, and letting Vick doing some of the running can definitely open up A LOT of holes for AP. Vick can also hook up with Greg Jennings or Watkins when passing as well.
The Vikings were a playoff team only a year ago with Christian Ponder leading the way. It was clear now that he's not the future. Nor is Josh Freeman or Matt Cassel. With that, the Vikings can get back into win-now mode right away, keep AP happy and get things going again on offense with the addition of Vick.
Minnesota is like a match made in heaven for Vick.
We'll have to see what happens once Vick's contract expires, and what direction his thoughts are heading by that time.
