Brace yourselves… We’re about to give kudos to Andy Reid(*).
(*)Not a typo.
Signing Vince Young as the back-up Quarterback would be an absolute coup for the Eagles.
Let’s preface what’s about to transpire by noting that Vince Young is a head-case. To what extent, we’re not exactly sure. But we can’t overlook what went down in 2008, when the words “Vince Young” “Depression” “Guns” and “Suicidal” starting appearing together in headlines all across the interwebs.
With that being said, bringing him in as a back-up to Vick could be a genius move on Reid’s part. Look at the facts:
After his phenomenal performance in the BCS Championship Game against USC propelled him to superstardom, Young was drafted third overall by Tennessee with the expectation that he would immediately step in and be a game-changing franchise quarterback. Young failed to reach his potential as the face of the Titans, habitually losing his starting job to Kerry Collins.
In the 47 games Young has played as a starter, he has posted a rather decent career record of 30-17. The guy seems to possess that gene where, no matter how poorly he may be on a given day he can still find a way to win football games. He’s an athletic freak. He can make plays with his arm or his legs. And he’s a winner(**).
(**)Assuming he has his head on straight. But there is incontrovertible evidence to the fact.
Bringing him in unceremoniously, with him fully embracing his role as understudy to Vick, removes the weight of being “the franchise” off of his shoulders. There is no pressure for him to step in and succeed immediately. Instead, he’ll get a free ride to the Andy Reid School of Mobile Quarterbacking where he’ll be tutored by Dean of Explosiveness, Mike Vick.
And when Vick has his obligatory two-to-three-game mid-season injury, Young can be trusted to step up and keep the team moving forward. If anything it’s a lateral move from Kolb to Young… a guy who may not be a superstar, but can fill in when needed and not fall flat on his face. What else could you ask for from your back-up Quarterback?
For all the Walrus bashing we do, it is undeniable that Andy Reid knows how to get the most out of his Quarterbacks. It’s easily his single greatest coaching trait(***), and the potential that Vince Young has should have Andy drooling(****). At 6’5”, 230 lbs. and only 28 years old, Young can still be molded into the dynamic offensive player he was supposed to be. He’s finally in the right flippers hands.
(***)And the reason he would make a great Offensive Coordinator… not Head Coach. But I digress.
(****)You know, as opposed to his red meat-induced drooling.
The Vince Young-era for the Eagles can go one of three ways:
- He’s simply a one-year back-up who gets minimal playing time and leaves following the season.
- He makes a few spot starts, shows he can be a starter in the NFL and signs a deal as a starter somewhere else next season.
- He makes a few spot starts, shows he can be a starter in the NFL and is re-upped by the Eagles.
Let’s say he starts three games this year and does well, going 2-1 with a few spectacular plays. Does Vince Young become Mike Vick 2.0… wherein the Eagles try to keep him in the hopes of flipping him to a Quarterback-less team for a second-round pick(*****) or as their QB going forward?
(*****)Quick tangent: Not to seem like we’re drinking the Walrus’ Kool-Aid, but how remarkable is it that he keeps getting second-rounders for cast-off Quarterbacks?! A second from Miami for A.J. Feeley, who traded him one year later for a fifth-round pick. Traded Donny Drama to the Redskins for a second, one year later, they trade him for a sixth-rounder. Now a second AND DRC for Kolb?! Reid doesn’t do many things well, but he is a master of coaching and trading Quarterbacks.
Acquiring Vince Young potentially sets the Eagles up for another Quarterback impasse a year from now. In the past two years, Andy had to choose between Donny Drama and Kolb, then Kolb and Vick… each time buying himself a little more time in Philly by anointing a new franchise Quarterback to start fresh with. Is it possible that Reid’s setting up a situation where the team can let Vick walk away next offseason and have Young take the reins? That remains to be seen.
Either way, Vince Young keeps Andy Reid’s tradition of possessing the best Quarterback-tandem in the NFL alive. And more importantly, it puts an end, once and for all, to any rumors involving that guy from There’s Something About Mary!
Now back to your regularly scheduled Fire The Walrus-ing…
Fire The Walrus 