Kelly Kicks Off Quarterback Competition


A feisty and fast-talking Chip Kelly took the podium Tuesday, clearly energized fresh off  his first practice as head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles. He did some friendly sparring with the media, threw a couple jabs, and deftly maneuvered to avoid being pinned on the ropes — especially when it came to his quarterback situation.

Kelly is far from ready to give one QB a nod over another, and said that Michael Vick, Nick Foles and even Dennis Dixon worked with the first team during the team’s minicamp session.

“I think the first snap of 7-on-7 I think Mike took, I think the first snap of team [reps] Nick may have took. It rotated…There wasn’t one set guy that just went with the ones the entire day,” he said.

“It’s April 16. We’re not playing until September. We’re going to use the full available time to make a full evaluation of who it is. I think it fosters competition, I think those guys love competition — that’s why they are in that position. I think everybody knows where they stand. That’s a big thing for us — there is not a lot of gray area.”

Everybody knows where they stand in terms of the depth chart?

“Yeah.”

Who is on top of the depth chart at quarterback right now?

“It’s even,” Kelly responded. “They [Vick and Foles] both took reps with the ones. The depth chart for us is not a big deal…[Quarterbacks coach} Billy [Lazor] is just rolling them. And I don’t look over there and say, ‘The ones are in, how come he is in?’ We talked about it as a staff. We just want guys to get reps. The depth chart, it’s more like a seating chart than it is a depth chart.”

Whatever you want to call it — seating chart, depth chart — Trent Edwards is no longer on it, as he was released on Monday. Kelly’s quarterback decisons to date: Keep Vick, sign Dixon and G.J. Kinne and cut Edwards. Vick, Dixon and Kinne all have mobility as part of their game. Edwards does not. Coincidence?

“You’re reading way too much into that,” said Kelly. “The best quarterbacks are the best quarterbacks. We’ll find a way, no matter who the quarterbacks are, to put a game plan in where they can be successful.”

Kelly added that Edwards asked for his release so he could pursue other opportunities.

Other nuggets:

— Kelly said Jason Peters was a full participant and looked good.

“It’s probably a good sign when you never looked over and said, ‘Geez, he doesn’t look like he’s himself right now.’ He was moving around and looked really at home at left tackle,” said Kelly. “It’s encouraging to see him get through that practice.”

Danny Watkins was at right guard and Todd Herremans at right tackle, according to the coach. Watkins took reps with the first and second team.

Jason Kelce participated in “a couple things” as he works back from his knee injury. Evan Moore and Chris McCoy were the only other members of the team who were not full-go. Everybody was in attendance.

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