Michael Vick thread -- Decision Day?

Ryan,

What made Vick so terrifying was his freakish athleticism - he was the guy who could keep breaking tackles and had a cannon arm, so he could send it soaring if you gave him the slightest window. But without the legs and the strength, he was just a guy with a great arm and accuracy issues and they don't last long in the NFL. At this point, no one - not even Vick fully knows - if he still has that athleticism. Maybe being out of football for two years robbed him of it, maybe it saved it. I don't know, you don't know, no one in the NFL does.

Take the Favre saga/distraction and multiply it by 5. That is what awaits any team that publicly considers Vick. Questions about him will dominate every presser, every guy on the team will be asked, PETA and the Humane Society will be involved, there may be protests outside of training camp. It will be a circus. And if he screws up again, in any way, multiply that circus by 3.

It would be one thing to risk the circus if you knew exactly how good Vick is. But right now, it is a guess. Do you risk a shitstorm over a guess? Or do you wait, let him go to the UFL, see what he does in game conditions and then decide if he is worth the risk?

 

You act like NFL teams sign ONLY those players with freakish skills. I'll say it again, IMO, Vick is better than half the starting QBs in the league. Obviously, I don't make the decisions in the NFL, but I have zero doubt that someone will sign him. Soon.

We'll just agree to disagree. Or at least I will.

 

A few well-placed injuries during the season, and there'll be demand for him. Dunno if he'd be good enough as a receiver to be a "slash," but the Wildcat would be up his alley.

And I noticed that I Love Puppies is gone. Too bad, he/she had some adorable avs.

 

How many teams took a chance on Lawrence Phillips, even after it was clear he sucked and was a rapist?

 

Yup. Or a starter whose season gets off to a lousy start.

The Niners do seem like he would be an especially good fit--he'd be a competitor for the starting job there right out of the gate.

Where else could he fit?

Maybe the Skins taking a flyer on him as a backup should Jason Campbell struggle.

Maybe the Cowboys as Romo's backup and a wildcat option.

Obviously, the Raiders.

And despite the slaps at his layoff and his passing accuracy, there's a number of teams where strictly on skill, he'd be an upgrade to the roster (how about as Carolina's backup) and a few where he would flat out be in competition for the starting job (in addition to the Niners, say perhaps Tampa Bay and Denver).

He'll find NFL work. It's just a matter of time.

 

If he has anything left, Minnesota, Oakland and Miami are the three places the rest of the NFL does not want to see him land.

Imagine designing a formation where Vick and McFadden were both split and could receive a direct snap? Both (presumably) can throw and both can run. You lose all weakside help because they would need to stay home with either player.

Remember that little sidecar the Falcons were running with Dunn and Vick? That was shredding a few teams, and that was just with Dunn. Imagine a running back like Brown or Peterson running that sidecar?

These are all dreams, though, because I think Vick will be half the player he was before the jail time.

 

Here are teams which Michael Vick, regardless of what shape he is in, would be an upgrade over the current starter or list of guys competing for a starting job....

Minnesota
Buffalo
Denver
Jacksonville
Washington
Oakland
Jets
49ers
Bucs
Detroit

Now I realize Detroit and Jets have a rookie first round pick (though I'd argue it would be a good fit to bring a veteran in for a year or two while they learn and develop) and thus aren't going to sign another QB since they are paying a lot of money at that position already but the other teams would be foolish not to consider Vick when you look at the junk they are currently going to have to run out there under center every week.

 

Hell you could also throw in Dallas, Houston, Cincinnati, and Seattle in the mix. Vick will be employed by someone. Plus remember, he hasn't had any wear and tear on his body. (Well maybe his booty but that's another issue). He should be ready to play mentally and physically in no time at all.

 

I think Cincy and Houston are in good shape QB-wise.

 

Coach killer. Ask Dan Reeves and Jim Mora.

So scratch Seattle off that list of potential suitors.

Here is the interesting point for the January 2010 NFL Coaching Carousel.

I would imagine that every "hot seat" NFL coach in these cities...

Jacksonville
Dallas
Minnesota
San Diego
Buffalo
Cincinnati
Carolina
Maybe Philadelphia
Maybe New Orleans

...will do whatever he possibly can do hang onto his job, especially with Shanahan, Holmgren, Cowher and Gruden waiting in the wings to snap up Jacksonville, Dallas, San Diego and Carolina six months from now.

Vick is a great talent but you have to 'blow up' your system and rework it, mid-stream to fit this guy. Childress is ready to 'sell his soul' to Favre to hang on. Not sure about any of the others facing the firing squad this year.

His best place would be for an entrenched veteran coach -- not a hot-seat head coach, not a rookie head coach. The trouble is, there are not that many coaches out there who are 'safe' from being fired, outside of Belichick and Jeff Fisher (and I think Fisher is about finished with athletic QBs who are not terribly mature).

All of that being said, Vick will get a call because someone will get hurt.

 

If things go south for fat boy in Pittsburgh, that could also be a destination for Mr. Vick.

 

Good call, drip.

I should have added Tomlin to the list of "Safe" coaches. He actually could take a flyer on Vick and I could see it working really, really well there.