Mark Sanchez is counting on a quarterback competition in Philadelphia. The quarterback got a taste of the starting job last year in place of Nick Foles and hopes to do so again. As a free agent he opted to re-sign with the Eagles, but the presence of Sam Bradford means that Sanchez is once again demoted to the backup role. However, with Bradford still sidelined with a knee injury, Sanchez has an opportunity to prove he is the man for the job.
According to NJ.com, Sanchez expects a quarterback competition despite all of the praise being tossed at Bradford. Sanchez will get starting reps during organized team activities until Bradford is fully healthy and has a small window to prove he can make the Eagles a competitive team in 2015.
Talking with Coach Kelly and knowing I'm coming with the opportunity to compete for the starting job," Sanchez said, via NJ.com. "That was important to me. There were some other opportunities out there, but I didn't want to switch systems again. You do a one-year deal...it's different for a defensive player, but for an offensive player especially a quarterback, you have to learn a whole new language again."
One thing Sanchez did not expect was the presence of Tim Tebow on the field. While Sanchez is expected to be the lead backup if Bradford starts, Tebow joins the roster to battle with Matt Barkley. Sanchez made it clear that he believes Tebow is only here as a camp arm while Bradford heals, but Kelly's confidence in the quarterback says otherwise.
"He's obviously a great guy, he works hard. And we needed another guy to throw while Sam's [Bradford] still recovering," Sanchez said, via CSN Philly. "So that's the reason [for the signing], at least as explained to me. We're excited about the upcoming year, and I think we have a great group."
The quarterbacks are not the only position players battling for the top spot on the depth chart. According to SI.com, the Eagles are putting their full faith in Jordan Matthews to be the leading receiver while Riley Cooper, Josh Huff, Nelson Agholor and Miles Austin battle for the remaining spots. Huff is expected to get a nod while Agholor is in position to overtake Cooper is he excels in camp. Cooper fell out of favor just a year after signing a contract extension. The receiver struggled in the offense and is now put on notice with Agholor in the mix. While the quarterbacks will get all of the attention, the receivers could be the entertainment this offseason.
