The Philadelphia Eagles signed new head coach Chip Kelly with aspirations of bringing about change to the failed “dream team” experiment. Kelly is no stranger to success from his days coaching the high-powered Oregon Duck offense. One aspect that made Kelly’s offense so dynamic was a highly mobile quarterback. With Michael Vick and Dennis Dixon on the roster, Nick Foles is seemingly on the outside looking in due to perceived inability to run a dynamic offense.
“I wouldn’t be right here, right now, if I didn’t fit,” Foles told the Philadelphia Inquirer. “I’d be somewhere else. I want to be here. I love this team. I love this city.”
With concerns pouring in about Foles’ ability to run a potentially option-based offense, Foles has reportedly had a “chip on his shoulder,” in April! Foles assures people that he can run whatever offense Philadelphia wishes to install for the 2013 season, but does the team feel the same way?
Philadelphia is hosting top-QB Geno Smith at the team facility today, which may suggest a lack of trust in Foles should Michael Vick inevitably get injured this season. Even the Dixon signing raises eyebrows, due in part to Dixon’s familiarity with Kelly from their Oregon days. Should Philly take Smith in the NFL draft this year, Foles would seemingly have no chance at reclaiming the starting role.
“I understood when I got here that [pro football] is a business. I’ve known Chip. I knew him in college. Played against him several times. He knows me well. He’s studied me. So there was a relationship. It’s not like I’m going into a situation where we don’t even know who each other is.”
Foles has at least remained optimistic and taken the high road throughout this entire process. Last year, Foles did not wow Eagle’s fans enough to be a shoe-in for the starting role this season. Still, you have to think that Foles is going to do his best to compete for a shot, despite being heavily outmatched. One thing is certain; the scales don’t appear to be equally balanced in the “City of Brotherly Love.”
