Nick Foles does not lack in confidence. For a guy that is on a team stacked with quarterbacks, that might be a good thing. The Philadelphia Eagles currently employ Dennis Dixon, Trent Edwards, G.J. Kinne and Michael Vick along with Foles at the quarterback position. That list could possibly grow as the Eagles are hosting the draft's top quarterback prospects. So, where does that leave Foles? He believes he has what it takes to run the Eagles offense. Does the team think the same thing?
As Philadelphia prepares for offseason workouts, Foles is letting people know he is not worried about his job with the Eagles. He believes he can step in and win the starting quarterback job.
"Whoever's the quarterback of your team, you build your offense around them. I feel like I can go in and run anything. I'm here to compete. Everybody's here to achieve the same goal and that's to win," Foles said.
With Chip Kelly now leading the offense, it is assumed they will run a more read-option scheme. The type of offense Kelly ran at Oregon was fast paced and extremely mobile. Foles is traditionally a pocket passer type quarterback, leading many to speculate he will be the subject of a trade prior to the NFL draft. Foles appeared in seven games during his rookie year after Vick went down with injury. He completed 61 percent of his passes for 1,699 yards and six touchdowns. He only had 11 rushes during scrambling situations.
Foles was originally drafted while Andy Reid was head coach. He believed in Foles, but many wonder if Kelly feels the same way. He has publically said he will build the offense around the starting quarterback, but that might not be Foles.
The team is currently bringing in both Geno Smith and E.J. Manuel for private workouts leading into the draft. They are two of the top prospects in the quarterback position. If the Eagles see promise in either player, Foles could be the odd man out. Both Smith and Manuel have been scouted as quarterbacks that can be both a pocket passer and a read-option player.
Speed plays a big part in Kelly's offense. Vick, Smith and Manuel are known for their quickness while Foles is not. If the team is serious about drafting a quarterback, someone will likely be released. Foles can have all the confidence in the world in his abilities, but if the Eagles find someone they like better then he will be in search of a new team.