Head coach Andy Reid said in a radio interview with Mike Missanelli of 97.5 The Fanatic on Friday that "there's a pretty good chance" all three of the Eagles quarterbacks - Donovan McNabb, Kevin Kolb and Michael Vick – would return in 2010. There has been non-stop rampant speculation that the Eagles will deal at least one of their quarterbacks this off-season. All three of the quarterbacks are under contract through the end of the 2010 season.
However, the notion that all three quarterbacks will be back in 2010 is starting to become more and more the prevailing thought around the league. On top of Reid's comments over the weekend, reports surfaced that the Eagles will pay Vick's roster bonus which is due tomorrow.
During a spot on ESPN's "Mike and Mike In The Morning" earlier today, Adam Schefter echoed the notion that all three quarterbacks will most likely be back next season.
"Michael Vick will be back. Kevin Kolb will be back. My guess right now, on the basis of everything I've heard, I went into the off-season thinking Philadelphia would at least entertain the notion of trading Donovan McNabb and they will, but it's sort of like Brandon Marshall. They are not going to trade the guy just to trade the guy," Schefter said. "They're only going to trade the guy if some team steps up. And if no team steps up, then the guy's back. It's sort of like that to me with Donovan McNabb. That's my sense of it.
"I know the Eagles have said we're not trading him, he's our quarterback, and we'll take them at their word. No problem, but if some team - and there are limited options here - decided that it wants to step up and pay what the Eagles would want I think they're open to dealing him. It's going to take a lot to get him out of there. There's no team right now that is jumping out and giving Philadelphia what it wants and if that happens then all three quarterbacks are back in Philadelphia."
Of course, it would take a lot for the Eagles to entertain the notion of dealing McNabb. Even McNabb's peers question why fans would want to see him gone.
"Why does everyone talk about McNabb not being an Eagle?" said New Orleans Saints' quarterback Drew Brees to reporters at the Maxwell Club Awards on Friday in Atlantic City. "That seems like the dumbest thing I've ever heard. The guy's taken you to five NFC championship games. I know the Philly faithful sometimes have a short leash, but I think the guy's a very talented player."
In addition to holding all of the club's premier passing records, McNabb has the third-highest winning percentage among starting quarterbacks with at least 100 starts. McNabb has the league's all-time lowest interception percentage rate and third-best touchdown-to-interception ratio. McNabb earned his sixth Pro Bowl nomination this past season and has won more games than any other quarterback in franchise history. He is just one of four players in the history of the game with 30,000 passing yards, 200 touchdown passes, 3,000 rushing yards and 20 rushing touchdowns. The other three - Steve Young, Fran Tarkenton and John Elway - are in the Hall of Fame.
McNabb will turn just 34 in November and is coming off of what is statistically one of the best seasons of his career.
-- Posted by Chris McPherson, 10:45 a.m., March 8
