The biggest question in football (as long as Favre is "staying" retired), is where Michael Vick will end up.
This is obviously much more than just a call of who needs him the most. Although most core fans of teams don't care about his past (after he has served 2 years), all it takes is one person in the owners family who is an ignorant, close-minded pet sympathizer in the owner's family for it to be null.
Now who are the teams that could use him? Obviously the teams who run the wildcat would love to have him around, but would it be smarter to let him play in another league for a year and prove his skill? Or maybe be turned into a Wide Reciever? Here is my view:
I don't know what everyone is talking about when they suggest he changes positions. Vick was a perfectly viable QB. Much better than half of the league. Now, granted, he is 2 years taken away from the game, and it's easier to learn how to run again than learn the timing of a good throw to a receiver, but he'd be a perfect back up QB on a team who either runs the Wildcat, or has a pass heavy offensive scheme so he can run wild as the WR pull off the defenders from the middle of the field.
The teams I have heard in the mix are:
Ravens
Patriots
49ers
Redskins
Buccaneers
Vikings
Ravens
When the Ravens run the Wildcat formation, they have former Heisman Troy Smith as a scrambler to run an option or something like that (he can even run a pass to Flacco as we saw last year). I would obviously much prefer seeing Vick as the 2nd string back and cut John Beck. I'm sure Cam Cameron would love baffling offenses with Vick under center and have Flacco and Smith lined up at Reciever and run some sort of trickery, but I doubt that's going to happen. They are trying to make a name for Flacco as the face of the franchise. With a signing of Vick, there will be no eyes on Flacco. Could that be a good thing? I don't know, but the Ravens are the only team to publicly admit they have thought of Vick, but if anything, it would probably be a project turning him into a WR. I doubt signing someone who hasn't played WR since he was a Freshman in High School will alleviate the problems of a missing Derek Mason.
Patriots
Probably the most logical option for Vick, the Patriots are a tightly-wound bunch of pricks led by the tightest-wound prick in football: Bill Belichick. However, Vick may need someone tightly wound to keep him in shape. I don't however, see him getting on the field much. The Patriots are an old-fashioned powerhouse of an offense who don't have specific plays for specific QBs. Unless Brady gets hurt again, it will be all Brady, all the time. Just like old times. Not an ideal place for Vick for playing time.
49ers
With Shawn Hill and Alex Smith competing for a starting roll on the 'Niners, there is no room for Michael Vick. Obviously the person who loses that battle will become the 2nd string QB.
Redskins
The team has been trying to pawn off Jason Campbell all season. Jim Zorn is in a very precarious position as a coach right now and maybe a signing like this could possibly distract some people from his problems. However, the only scenario of this working out for Vick and the team is that he ends up beating everyone's expectations, he's the old Mike Vick by Week 8, and he takes over for Campbell full time after the BYE. That is in a perfect world, but of course, Dan Snyder is the biggest blind optimist in the world who will gamble anything on his team, so they probably make the most sense.
Buccaneers
A similar situation to the Redskins. They have no QBs and with Jon "QB Hater" Gruden gone as the coach, I guess he has a shot, but again, that's only if he is back to form. Because if he isn't he'd just be a mediocre QB among mediocre QBs.
Vikings
Fresh out of the Brett Favre sweepstakes, some would think that Vick would be the star QB that could get them over the edge. However, you can only assume he will be identical to Tavaris Jackson AT BEST. Maybe a little faster. So I doubt they'd go after him.
-------------
In the end, no one knows how good Vick is. Because of the media nightmare, everyone is scared to even bring him in for a tryout or a chance or anything. And unfortunately, his performance is the only thing that we can judge him upon. At this point, I would imagine he is a deer in headlights. He is probably very humbled and does not want to seem picky coming back to the NFL. If only one team makes an offer, he can't hold out for another team to offer something. He will have to accept it, or go play in another league.
At this point, I believe that no matter how much football fans want to see him play, the best thing for him is to pull a Ricky Williams, and use another league as a tryout, and FORCE teams to sign him next season.
No comments:
Post a Comment