Nick Foles is injured which makes the decision to start Mark Sanchez an easy one. The Philadelphia Eagles can downplay any thoughts of quarterback drama at the moment simply because their starter is hurt and cannot play. However, this is the NFL and right now, Sanchez has the hot hand. If he continues to excel with Philadelphia, will Foles be out longer than the projected six to eight weeks?
It is no secret that Chip Kelly is a Sanchez fan. The Eagles head coach has spoken out numerous times about how talented the quarterback is and how he has really improved since leaving the New York Jets. Kelly went on to brag about how having two quality quarterbacks on the roster only makes Philadelphia that much more talented as a team. So when Foles went down with a broken collarbone, it was easy to put Sanchez on the field. He repaid the head coach by tossing a nice bomb on his first throw for a touchdown. Could Philadelphia be leaning more towards Sanchez for the future over Foles?
According Mark Eckel of NJ.com, Foles might no longer be in the long-term plans for Philadelphia and that was something decided before the quarterback go injured. Eckel writes that team sources believe general manager Howie Roseman has soured on Foles and the organization is less committed to the quarterback than ever before. Foles has seen some struggles this season when it comes to inaccurate throws and poor footwork. If Eckel's report is true, Sanchez could be the man in charge down the road.
"He [Sanchez] obviously has a big-time arm, he's got an NFL arm, he's got NFL feet, he's really, really smart, he's sharp, great work ethic, very athletic. He had all the things we're looking for in a quarterback," Kelly said, via the Philadelphia Inquirer. "He's a hell of a quarterback and we're excited that we got him."
There was thought that Sanchez could be traded before the NFL deadline or in the 2015 offseason and that could still stand to be true. At the beginning of the year Kelly did say the quarterback was available if the offer was right. These next few weeks of the season are Sanchez's audition to prove he can still be a starting quarterback. Teams will be interested in the quarterback after this redemption tour. The Oakland Raiders, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Buffalo Bills all need help at the position and Sanchez could be their main man. However, he could also remain with the Eagles and become the new starter if Foles is demoted. The quarterback is picking the right time to look like an improved player and that should bode well for his future.