DeSean's QB Curiosity
By Marc Farzetta
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Philadelphia Eagles will hold their first full squad training camp session on July 26th at the NovaCare Complex and a few players have voiced their desire to know who the team's starting quarterback is before that day comes.
In the last week of mini-camp, Michael Vick was asked about splitting reps with 3 other quarterbacks. Vick responded by saying "It's tough, I have to continue to be a professional and put my feelings and emotions to the side, and just continue to compete. But it's hard. I would be lying if I said it wasn't. But that's just what I have to deal with, and I'm going to keep dealing with it until I see otherwise."
Then on Tuesday, wide receiver DeSean Jackson was a guest on the NFL Network's Total Access where he said, like Vick, he would like to know who he's going to be catching passes from this season. "I've been hearing some things about Vick saying he wants to know and at the same time the team wants to know too because we need to go into training camp prepared and know who our starting quarterback is."
DeSean further explained his view on the Eagles' quarterback situation on Friday while promoting his new bio-pic #10 DeSean Jackson: The Making of a Fathers Dream.
"As far as myself, I don't really know what the team is ok with and not ok with," DeSean said to a small group of reporters. "At the end of the day, I don't know where it stands, who's going to be the starting quarterback. I wish I did know, but at the end of the day that's the coach's decision so I guess we have to [see] how that goes."
Regardless of who is named the starter, DeSean feels all four of the Eagles' QB's have put in all the work needed to earn the top spot. "Hopefully they'll be ready to go and I think throughout the whole offseason everybody did everything the right way. Everybody practiced hard, everybody was there, accountable and did the things they were asked to. [They] learned the offense so moving forward we just look forward to knowing who will be [the quarterback] because that will definitely help us prepare better going into the season."
Despite Jackson's growing curiosity, the 2-time Pro Bowler say's he understands why his new head coach, Chip Kelly is taking his time to name a starter. "He's never been a couch of ours," DeSean explained. "So of course with a new system he just wants to see who benefits the system."
Aside from giving some of his players anxiety like a teenage girl waiting to be asked to the prom, could Chip Kelly's waiting period be hurting the team in other ways? DeSean didn't rule that out when asked if it is important for team chemistry and team unity to know who the starter is before training camp, "I definitely think it is, just to have a sense of knowing so we can prepare and go out there to do the things we need to do with who is going to be the starter but it is uncertain…we have to go in there and do our job. That's what we get paid to do. Chip Kelly gets paid to be a head coach and make those decisions I'm sure [he] and Pat Shurmur will do a good job of putting the best guy out there to give us the best chance to win."
If you are interested in seeing the documentary, #10 DeSean Jackson: The Making of a Fathers Dream. The film will be available Monday June 16th for video on demand (''VOD'') with iNDemand, Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Cox, Bright House, Rcn, AT&T Uverse, Verizon Fios, Mediacom, Suddenlink and Charter.
