Mark Sanchez continues to do exactly what he set out to do with the Philadelphia Eagles: prove he can win. The quarterback suffered a fall from grace after two struggling seasons with the New York Jets. Upon his release, the quarterback signed with the Eagles in hopes of rebuilding his reputation. So far that is working, but how long will Sanchez be on the field once Nice Foles returns.
Foles is reportedly getting very close to returning to the field following an injury to his collarbone. Head coach Chip Kelly would not totally commit to a set date for Foles to step back on the field, but the quarterback has been running through drills and looking healthier every day.
"He's supposed to have a follow up either this week or next week," Kelly said, via NJ.com. "I'm not sure which. I haven't heard anything from the doctors. I know he's working extremely hard from a rehab standpoint. The whole decision will be made based upon what the X-rays say. We'll get those at some point. He is working extremely hard with the strength and conditioning coaches, so when the bone is healed and he is cleared to play again, he will be in shape. He's in meetings, he's in workouts. Last week in the hotel he was working out. He's working extremely hard to get back."
Now the question becomes what happens with Sanchez. The quarterback is proving he is still talented and can win games for a team. He has gotten two wins in three starting for Philadelphia while throwing for over 300 yards in that stretch. He still has six interceptions in four games total this season which is cause for concern. Kelly would not commit to a quarterback when everyone is healthy, simply saying he would go with who has the hot hand.
"I think both of those guys kind of feed off of each other," Kelly said. "They are always having discussions on what they saw (out on the field). We've got a great quarterback room with how those guys get along."
Both Sanchez and Foles are playing for contracts. Foles has one more year left on his contract. If he returns after his injury and plays well, he will get a nice extension for the Philadelphia Eagles without much questioning. Sanchez is auditioning for teams around the league. With Matt Barkley on the roster, the need to bring back Sanchez is not great. However, teams like the Cleveland Browns, Houston Texans, Oakland Raiders and St. Louis Rams could all be favorites to take the former starter in free agency so getting in more good games for Sanchez should be a priority.
