It is the rumor that simply won't die -- that Michael Vick will one day end up as a Carolina Panther.
Can we derail this one, please? It shouldn't happen, and you shouldn't want it to happen. Vick is just not that good anymore. I'm not even talking about the whole ethics thing, the illegal dogfighting enterprise, the jail time, all of that.
I'm talking about simply on the football field -- we'll leave his character issues aside for the purposes of this blog post. And it's on the field where I don't think Vick would do the Panthers much -- if any -- good.
Vick restarted the rumor this time by saying on a weekend radio appearance that if he could choose to play for any team in the NFL, it would be the Carolina Panthers. You may not usually expect NFL news to be started on a program called Gangsta Grillz with a host named DJ Drama, but there you go. Vick said: “If I could play for any team in the league, it would probably be two teams if I had to pick one, it would probably be the Carolina Panthers."
Why Carolina? Vick responded: "Well, you know, it’s close to home. I like the uniforms. You get to play against Atlanta twice a year. Ain’t nothing better than playing against your former team, right? So, yeah, that would be a good look, it would be a good look."
OK, so let's take a good look at some context here. Vick is officially still a Philadelphia Eagle. On Friday, the Eagles have to decide whether they pick up a $1.5-million option on his contract. This would obligate the Eagles to pay Vick at least $2.5 million overall this season if they can't trade him, which it appears is what they may most want to do. (They originally signed Vick to a two-year deal in August 2009, but only the first year was guaranteed).
If the Eagles don't pick up the option -- and they appear committed to starting Donovan McNabb once again in 2010 -- Vick is free. But there have been various reports that they probably will pick it up. And in that case, Vick is still Eagles property but probably on the market for a mid-round draft pick.
Now if you're playing biggest-name-out-there fantasy football (Bill Polian used to always warn against this when he was Carolina's general manager), that sounds great, right? Michael Vick for a fourth-round pick? Maybe he'll beat out both Jake Delhomme and Matt Moore and start! What a bargain!
No, I don't think so. Vick looked like nowhere near the same player to me last year. I know he had limited action for the Eagles. But even in his best years, his accuracy was suspect, and the reason he was so good was that he was practically a running back who could also play QB (he rushed for 1,039 yards in 2006).
I don't think he's that fast anymore. Not nearly that fast. The statistics from last season bear it out. And he throws the ball inaccurately enough that I can safely tell you that Matt Moore (for sure) and Jake Delhomme (pre-2009) both would hit a lot more targets in the chest in 100 throws than Vick would.
Bottom line: Not worth it. I'd rather the Panthers choose another QB via the draft in April, let DeAngelo Williams or Jonathan Stewart take whatever "Wildcat" snaps are available in 2010 and leave Vick to go tease some other team somewhere else.
We're moving!
9 years ago
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29 comments:
I'm confused. How do you draw a conclusion that Vick is not that good anymore when he barely played in Philly? I don't get it. I guess all you plain vanilla Charlotte folks like watching Deldummy and the mediocre team Fox and crew has given us.
I'll say it...
We do not need to add another thug to the mix here...
No empathy from me.
Scott I was about to rip you one until I read your whole article. I must say for once you might be right. As good as getting Vick sounds it would take several years for the offense to even adjust to his style of play just as it did in Atl. Let's not bring up moral issues because he has paid his debt to society leave him alone!
Why not Ronald Curry, our former UNC QB? He could also return kicks?
Why not sign him? We have nothing to lose - so what we lose a draft pick? The Panthers are bad in the draft anyway and we've given up much more for less (see no first round draft pick). Is Vick a thug? Yes. If we were so worried about not signing thugs and wanted great community leaders, then they should sign me - I volunteer every week but I can't catch a football if my grandmother threw it to me. Who cares? Give me millions because I'm such a great member of our community. He helps at a position where we are very vulnerable. So what if he does not start - we still have a viable back up.
i am a big panthers fan. not a big fan of delhome actually iam a advant member of the i hate jake delhome club on facebook. carolina signed him to a bogus contract. they screwed up in plain words they owe it to themselves and all of their fans to try vick out. if he wants to play for us he will be happy and more than likely be productive. and for all you all who say look at what he did, he went commited a crime and did the time. if you want to dwell on his past lets dwell on the panthers past with their current qb situation whic is most definitely not a good look. i love the panthers like family but their becoming the drunk uncle, and i think vick would be a chance for them to redeem themselves bottom line.
As Madea would say, Hell to the No!!
@Anonymous 12:54: It's easy to draw a conclusion that Vick is not good anymore, especially at QB. It's because he wasn't that good in the first place. If the Panthers signed him, kiss any pass attack goodbye. At least with Jake, he could get somewhere near a WR.
@Dewey - The Panthers are actually pretty good at the draft, as long as it's not a WR or QB. Though I think Jarrett still could be serviceable #3, but not much more.
Vick has never been a great QB. As Scott said, he was once great running the ball but in the chances he got in Philly this year he was not effective. He has never been accurate passing the ball and bringing him in further weakens the Panthers in that area.
While I can agree he has paid his debt to society, he is still not someone representing my team.
Keep the thug out of Carolina.
Getting Vick is a no brainer;(he has paid his debt to society so lets not bring that up and he is very involved in the community)Panthers have a chance to get a pro bwl QB who was once the highest paid player in the NFL. With stewart, williams and smith and you add vick all I can say is WOW! very explosive. Guaranteed playoffs if we have somewhat the defense last season. If DelHommey start next season Im going to throw up and smack J.Fox for not wanting to win!
Anything besides Jake Delhomme is an upgrade...
Jarret a serviceable #3… Nice try
First Peppers and now Vick. Haven't we learned anything about this type of unsavory human being?
I don't know anyone can judge him this past year on performance. I watched him come into the Dallas game for one play and throw a long TD. He goes to the sidelines and you just can't rate how good he is...What do the Panthers have to lose???? Jake has stolen all the money
Scoot, you nailed it on the head. I see so many people pine about second chances and repaid debts to society, blah blah blah. Forget about all that. Vick is not a good quarterback, PERIOD. Statistically, he's a notch below Delhomme. Why we would want to take a step backwards in the QB department in exchange for a handful of exciting "scrambles" is beyond me.
People please! This argument that "Vick's already paid his debt to society" is absurd. Former Browns player Dante Stallworth got drunk at South Beach, jumped into his sports car, ran over and killed a man. He did LESS THAN 30 DAYS IN JAIL (23?). I believe that he was just signed by Baltimore as a reward. You tell the dead man's family that Mr. Stallworth has paid his debt to society. Let's say your sister is car-jacked and "assaulted" and her attacker is let out of jail in ten years. Same deal? I didn't think so. Our legal system is a flawed as our values system in this country. I will always believe in character and morals beyond what Mr. Vick represents. Is the Panthers win/loss record EVER to so important that we will enjoy watching a guy like this QB our squad on Sunday afternoons? I sincerely hope not. Jerry Richardson will NOT sign this guy. Thank goodness Jerry knows the difference.
Michael Smith
Charlotte, NC
matt moore is the future. we dont need a flashy qb we need someone who can hand the ball off to the 3 best hb's in the NFL and DOES NOT HAVE MORE TURNOVERS THEN TDS
In case you have forgotten, Jake's completion percentage last year was remarkably similar to Vick's career percentage. And when Jake runs 2 yards for a first down and head-butts the defender, the CO reporters go ga-ga over Jake's great heart and passion.
And with our first pick being in the 40s, exactly what kind of a QB do you think we're going to get in the draft? HINT: Colt McCoy, Sam Bradford and Tim Tebow will be LONG gone by the time we have our first pick.
I think we should give Vick a shot.
Side note: I found it ironic that one of the reasons Vick cited for signing here was the uniform. Considering Kerry Collins said last year, "I always dreamed of being an NFL QB. Then I found myself playing for the Carolina Panthers, wearing these funny-looking uniforms, and I didn't even feel like I was in the NFL," that certainly made Vick's statement seem really unusual.
matt moore is the future. we dont need a flashy qb we need someone who can hand the ball off to the 3 best hb's in the NFL and DOES NOT HAVE MORE TURNOVERS THEN TDS
Is winning a football game that important? Michael Vick completed his prison sentence but the stigma will always remain.
What he did was sadistic and anybody that thinks otherwise should seriously see a shrink. Hopefully one that's willing to treat Michael Vick too.
"This type of player"?
Comparing Peppers to Vick is a joke. There's a valley of class between them (yes, I'm aware that's not saying much).
Sign him and do what with him? It took an injury for Fox to start Matt Moore. The only way Vick would get into a game would be because of the person holding the gun to Fox's head, and even then I'd give 50/50 odds on Vick touching the ball.
Oh, and also he's never been a good football player and now he's not that great an athelete. Personal bias aside, paying your debt to society includes lack of nutrition, lack of structured workouts, second rate equipment, etc. If you think running backs age quickly, just watch Vick this year.
This post is so far from the truth. First of all, what does Vick giving an interview on "Gangsta Grillz" by DJ Drama have anything to do about his ability to play for the Carolina Panthers. Obviously you wouldn't ever get the chance to interview somebody like Vick because you are still writing post on the Charlotte Observer.com, so I'm sensing some hate after you wrote that. Vick is only 29 years old and still in his prime. Jake is no longer getting the job done and although he had his good years here, his time is done. Bottom line, Carolina football is no longer exciting. Moore does not have the big play potential, and is not the answer. Bring Vick in let him hand the ball of to our great running backs to create a triple threat backfield. Then when start to key on the running game let him throw it up one of the best recievers in the league in Steve Smith. Draft a big reciever or pick one up in free agency but let's get a 6'4 6'5 type reciever to go on the opposite side of Smith. After all of that, Carolina football will once again bring the excitement we all want.
Alright, look, we had a pretty good player when he wanted to be in Peppers. He didn't want to be here, actually I haven't heard anyone saying they want to play for the Panthers, besides us in the stands. But here we have a player with an outstanding chance to do something great on the field and we are as a franchise going to look a possible gift horse in the mouth. Why the hell not give a guy like Vick a chance to compete here "where he would like to play"? I'm all for giving us a chance to really do something this year, I'm sick and tired of just competing w/ teams...lets try and make ourselves better to kick some ass!
Scott your memory is clearly clouded. Do you not remember Vick when he demolished the panthers every year until Thomas Davis arrived? Did you remember to include in your book that the only reason we made the Super Bowl in 2003 was that Vick had a broken leg (and he still managed to beat us once that year)? Seriously Scott you are not an NFL scout please stop trying to be.
Get Vick and give him a chance. I have always liked Mike Vick, he is exciting to watch and he can run. What's wrong with a running back that can play qb? As for the dog situation...puh leeze..other's have done far worse. As for being a thug, didn't Smith punch out two of our players, his own teammates yet you all seem to forget about that and forgive it or turn the other way because he's a great player.
Give the guy a chance and no, I don't think Tebow is the answer either. Line up for 2010 qb are as follows:
1. Moore
2. Vick
3. Cantwell
4. Delhomme
I think we should deviate from this question to focus on the bigger question "Are the Panthers really willing to start Jake Delhomme ever again?" The talk in the column today regarding locking up Matt Moore states that he'll "compete" with Jake. Compete? Really? Isn't that what he did this past season where Delhomme shattered our season and Moore comes in and makes us look like a Super Bowl team? This whole argument is ridiculous. I agree bringing in Mike Vick would be very strange, however I disagree with you when you state that he's no longer good. Once he gets back into the groove with some other team we might be wondering "what if".
I agree that Matt Moore should get his year based on the fact he has been in the plan for a few years now and has shown some flash of talent now and then. I am for putting Vick on the squad and giving him a chance for backup. The Panthers at the very least need a draw to put fans back in the stadium. We have great running backs to come watch but thats about it.
1:03, there's nothing white collar about deliberately and willfully drowning, beating, or electrocuting living beings to their death.
watch i bet jarrett gonna be a beast this year now someone can throw to him watch and see
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