ESPN NFL

Rookie head coach Doug Marrone has yet to coach in his first game with the Buffalo Bills. But just a few months into his regime, it’s easy to pinpoint how to gauge his overall success or failure in the NFL.

The Marrone era in Buffalo will be defined by Thursday's shocking selection of former Florida State quarterback EJ Manuel -- no more, no less.

The Bills, led by general manager Buddy Nix, jumped out on a limb Thursday by making Manuel the first quarterback taken in the NFL draft with the No. 16 overall pick. It was perhaps the most surprising move of the first round, even after the Bills traded down eight picks with the St. Louis to get the player they believe is the long-term solution at the position. Buffalo also gained a second- and a seventh-round pick and swapped third-rounders with St. Louis.

It is no secret that the job security of head coaches is closely tied to their quarterbacks. Look no further than the AFC East.

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick struck gold by drafting Tom Brady 13 years ago in the sixth round. As a result, Belichick and the Patriots have dominated the AFC East ever since and been to five Super Bowls, winning three. Belichick and Brady also are the all-time winningest coach and quarterback combination in NFL history.

On the other end of the AFC East spectrum, New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan is on the hot seat after 2009 first-round pick Mark Sanchez flamed out. Sanchez was the first pick of the Ryan regime, and both are on the hot seat in New York. Former Bills head coach Chan Gailey also was fired after last season, in part, because veteran quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick was a bust after signing a $59 million contract.

The Marrone-Manuel tandem could turn out either way for Buffalo. But if I had to take an educated guess before Manuel throws his first pass and Marrone coaches his first game, this decision has the potential to blow up in Buffalo’s face in three or four years.

The Bills have the NFL’s longest playoff drought at 14 years and counting. They have a history of drafting the wrong quarterbacks (J.P. Losman, Trent Edwards) and signing the wrong veterans (Fitzpatrick). That makes it extremely hard to trust that the Bills went against conventional wisdom and got this one correct.

Manuel comes with good physical tools. He's athletic, mobile and has solid accuracy. But there is tons of pressure facing Manuel as the first quarterback taken for various reasons.

By association, it's expected that Manuel will be the best quarterback from this 2013 NFL draft. Adding to this dilemma is Buffalo passed over Syracuse quarterback Ryan Nassib, who played for Marrone in college. It could only add salt to the wound for Buffalo if Manuel struggles and Nassib turns out to be a good quarterback when the Bills had the most intel with Nassib’s former head coach in the building.

West Virginia’s Geno Smith and USC’s Matt Barkley also were rated higher than Manuel by most experts. Manuel will be compared to those quarterbacks at the next level, too.

But the controversial decision has been made by the Bills and the time for second-guessing is over. It’s time for Manuel to get to work and live up to his billing as the top quarterback taken in this draft. Manuel will compete in training camp with veteran quarterbacks Kevin Kolb and Tarvaris Jackson. Maybe the Bills will get a one-year stopgap from Kolb or Jackson -- at best -- but Manuel will have to be ready to play sooner than later. The Bills say they are not rebuilding and are strong in several areas. One of the biggest things holding Buffalo back is its quarterback situation.

The Patriots, with Brady, remain the gold standard at quarterback in the AFC East. The Miami Dolphins appear to be heading in the right direction with second-year quarterback Ryan Tannehill. But New York and Buffalo have a lot of quarterback questions that were not answered in the first round.

The Bills have been looking for a franchise quarterback since the retirement of Hall of Famer Jim Kelly. Manuel must develop into a franchise starter or it will set the Bills back for another three or four years.

Along with Patrick Willis, Adrian Wilson and Steven Jackson defined toughness and physical play in the NFC West when the division was known for neither.

It's only fitting Wilson and Jackson are leaving together.

While it's possible one or both could return to the division in some capacity, Wilson's release Friday and Jackson's decision to void his contract signal significant changes.

The timing feels right in both cases even though it's tough to wave goodbye. Wilson is 33 years old, lost playing time last season and was scheduled to earn a $1 million roster bonus this offseason. The Cardinals have a new coaching staff and a plan to rely more heavily on younger players. Now is the time to move on from Wilson.

"Decisions like this are never easy, but it’s especially tough with someone like Adrian because he’s been such a special player and important part of this organization for the last 12 years," Cardinals general manager Steve Keim said in a news release.

Wilson and Keim played at North Carolina State at different times. Keim was with the Cardinals when the team drafted Wilson in 2001. If anyone would push for the Cardinals to keep Wilson, Keim would be the one. But he had to realize the move was coming sooner, not later, and this was the right time to make a break.

"He and I have a long history, as many know," Keim said in the statement. "I had the privilege of meeting Adrian at North Carolina State when he was a 17-year old freshman. It was obvious even then that his infectious smile and imposing stature could make him a star. His disruptive style meant opponents always had to know where No. 24 lined up, and the statistics illustrate all that he accomplished through his play on the field. Just as impressive, though, has been the leadership, discipline and determination he brought day in and day out, year in and year out."

I'll remember Wilson for putting huge, message-sending hits on Vernon Davis, Todd Heap, Trent Edwards and others. I'll remember him for delivering punishing hits to Seattle Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck during a 2008 game in Seattle. Hasselbeck appeared especially drained after the game. He accused Wilson of dirty tactics, then later apologized.

Five Pro Bowls and four All-Pro honors define Wilson as one of the most accomplished safeties of his era. Wilson played 181 games, fifth-most in franchise history. He leaves the Cardinals having picked off 27 passes and registered 25.5 sacks. The latter total is the fourth-most by a defensive back since sacks became a stat in 1982.

We can debate how effective Wilson was playing the run vs. playing the pass, but to me that misses what Wilson represented in his essence. He was a 6-foot-3, 230-pound strong safety and a threat to injure anyone in his path. The hit he put on Edwards drew a $25,000 fine and would have been more appropriate in a 1976 game between Pittsburgh and Oakland. That was the point. Cardinals opponents had to fear Wilson. No more.

» NFC Eight in the Box: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Welcome to Eight in the Box, an NFL Nation feature that will appear each Friday during the offseason. This week’s topic: How each NFC East team needs to address the quarterback position.

Dallas Cowboys: The Cowboys would like to sign starting quarterback Tony Romo to a long-term contract extension. Romo's deal expires at the end of 2013, and the Cowboys know there won't be any quarterbacks on next offseason's market who are as good as Romo is. They also would benefit from reducing his 2013 salary-cap number (about $16.8 million), and an extension beyond this year would allow them to do that by spreading signing bonus money out over future seasons. Romo will be 33 in April, and the backup quarterback is Kyle Orton, who's not a long-term solution. So there is a chance the Cowboys could try to find a quarterback in the middle rounds of the draft and start grooming him.

New York Giants: The Giants have one of the most stable quarterback situations in the entire league, as Eli Manning has not missed a game since becoming the starter during his 2004 rookie season. The Giants' plan for each season is founded in large part on Manning's durability and reliability. If he were to get hurt, they'd be more or less lost. Their preferred backup, David Carr, is an unrestricted free agent, and right now the only other quarterback on the roster is Curtis Painter (who coincidentally used to back up Manning's brother in Indianapolis). The Giants could stand to improve their backup quarterback situation, but unlike the Cowboys, they don't like to spend to do so.

Philadelphia Eagles: On the other end of the spectrum, once they add Arena Leaguer G.J. Kinne to the mix as they're reported to be doing, the Eagles will have five quarterbacks on their roster. The favorite to start is Michael Vick, though second-year man Nick Foles and career backup Dennis Dixon could factor into a training-camp competition. (Trent Edwards is likely the odd man out.) If Vick is to be the starter, the backup quarterback position becomes very important, as Vick obviously has a history of injuries. So the Eagles must figure out whether Foles or Dixon (or I guess Kinne) is the best option. The Eagles also could draft a quarterback with the No. 4 pick in April if they fall in love with someone like Geno Smith or Matt Barkley. New coach Chip Kelly is keeping his options open, which is a smart way to go in a market that presents him with few outstanding options.

Washington Redskins: All of the focus in Washington is on the recovery of starter Robert Griffin III from reconstructive knee surgery. In spite of his new adidas ad campaign that proclaims him "All in for Week 1," there is no way to project whether Griffin will be ready for the start of the season. If he's not, the starter's role will fall to Kirk Cousins, last year's fourth-round pick, who relieved Griffin three times and started one game for the Redskins in 2012. Look for Mike Shanahan to add a quarterback or two to the bench mix before training camp and the preseason arrive, as the Redskins will need depth while Griffin heals. Veteran Rex Grossman is someone the Redskins like having around and could factor into that depth mix if he doesn't find work somewhere else.

The idea of Michael Vick returning to the Philadelphia Eagles next year seems far-fetched. If he wants to come back, he's likely to have to accept a drastically reduced salary and either a backup role or a training camp competition with Nick Foles for the starting quarterback job. And with Andy Reid looking as though he'll be out as head coach, there's no way for Vick or anyone else to forecast what will happen with the Eagles in 2013.

However, if he is on his way out, it looks as though Vick will get one more chance to start and win a game for the Eagles. Foles, the rookie who has started the past six games while the Eagles try to evaluate him as a part of their future, broke his right hand in Sunday's loss to the Redskins. And while he somehow finished the game and nearly tied it at the end of the fourth quarter, Foles will not play this week, Reid announced Monday.

It's likely that Vick, who wasn't even active Sunday even though he's been cleared to return from the concussion that sidelined him earlier in the season, will get the Week 17 start against the New York Giants over Trent Edwards. The Eagles have won eight of their past nine games against the Giants, who need to win Sunday (and get help from other games' results) in order to reach the playoffs. Vick was the quarterback when the Eagles beat the Giants in September in Philadelphia, but he lost to them in Philly last year and backup Vince Young led the Eagles to victory in MetLife Stadium.

As for Foles, this obviously robs the Eagles of one game's worth of their chance to evaluate his long-term prospects. But it also puts Sunday's game in a different light. Foles made some pretty bad throws in the second half of that game, including missing an open Jeremy Maclin in the end zone for what would have been the game-tying touchdown. The fact that his throwing hand was broken obviously mitigates that and will factor into the coaches' evaluation. I think Foles has shown some good signs, especially in terms of pocket mobility and patience on third down. But I don't know how the Eagles can know for sure, based on what they've seen, that he's a guy on whom they can hang their future. Once the head coaching position is addressed, I have to believe the Eagles will explore options at quarterback this offseason, even if it's just for depth and camp competition.

PHILADELPHIA -- For the first time all season, the Washington Redskins will have to make a change to one of the starting positions on their offensive line. Right tackle Tyler Polumbus, who suffered a concussion in last week's victory in Cleveland, is among the inactives and will be replaced by Maurice Hurt. The Redskins started the same five offensive linemen for each of their first 14 games.

Center Will Montgomery, who sprained his knee last week, is active and will start at center. But going with Hurt at right tackle could pose a problem. Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham, who lines up on that side, has four sacks in the four games he's played since joining the starting lineup. The 2010 first-round draft pick has been a disruptive force as the Eagles' defense has shown improvement over the last couple of weeks, and Hurt is going to need help to handle him.

The rest of the inactives are no surprise. There was some question about whether Eagles quarterback Michael Vick would dress as a backup, since he's been cleared of his concussion symptoms, but he is among the inactives and will not play. Trent Edwards will continue to serve as the backup to rookie starter Nick Foles.

And Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III, who missed last week's game with a knee injury, is active and will start for Washington, as expected.

I'm here all game, and will also be keeping an eye on Cowboys-Saints while this one's going on. Catch me on Twitter at @ESPN_NFCEast with any questions. Enjoy the games.

INACTIVES

REDSKINS
QB Rex Grossman
WR Brandon Banks
WR Dezmon Briscoe
LB Roddrick Muckelroy
LB Vic So'oto
G Adam Gettis
T Tyler Polumbus

EAGLES
QB Michael Vick
WR Greg Salas
FB Stanley Havili
DE Darryl Tapp
G Danny Watkins
OL Matt Kopa
RB Chris Polk

A news release arrived via text from the Philadelphia Eagles at 8:43 a.m. Wednesday and said this:

Eagles head coach Andy Reid confirms that Michael Vick is the team's starting QB. Eagles will resume practice on Thursday when Reid and players will be available.

I have yet to receive any official news releases from the other three teams in the NFC East confirming that the quarterback who has started every one of their games so far this year will also start this week's, but that's mainly because other teams don't feel the need to tell everyone every week that they're not changing quarterbacks. The Eagles do, because the Eagles, right now, are a complete mess.

The level of tension and negativity piling up on the shoulders of Reid, Vick and everybody else connected to the Eagles right now is staggering and overwhelming, and I think it's one of the biggest things holding the team back. It's now clear that team owner Jeffrey Lurie made a huge mistake in the offseason when he said that another 8-8 record wouldn't be acceptable, effectively giving Reid and ultimatum to post a winning record or lose his job. That put a template of intense pressure in place for 2012, and the Eagles have not handled it well.

Vick entered this season with more pressure on him than any other player in the league, given the team's expectations and his importance to their success, and he has looked like a guy who's feeling it. He didn't turn the ball over in Sunday's lackluster loss to the Falcons, but he turned it over 13 times in his first six games, and the rumblings around the team are of frustration with his continued inability to read blitzes, call the correct audibles and adjust to game conditions. He has kept himself from getting hurt in spite of the pressure he faces on seemingly every play, but according to ESPN Stats & Information he has completed only 28 percent of his passes thrown from outside the pocket -- the lowest such percentage in the NFL this year.

A lot of what's going on with the Eagles is not Vick's fault, of course. The offensive line is missing three starters right now, and its struggles have negatively impacted the pass protection as well as the run game. The defense played its worst game of the year Sunday in the first game since Reid fired his defensive coordinator. The pass rush, thought to be that defense's linchpin, has vanished. The Eagles give the impression of a team that is collapsing in on itself, and Reid gives the impression of a coach who's staring at the end of his time with the team.

Keeping Vick as the starter is the right move. There's no reason to believe a switch, either to journeyman Trent Edwards or third-round rookie Nick Foles, would give them a better chance to win than Vick does, and Vick offers considerably more upside than either of those choices do if he begins to consistently play to his ability. He has led the team from behind to take the lead in the fourth quarter in four different games this year, and he has shown that he can win games for them. But this is a team looking for some answers, any answer, even one that doesn't necessarily make sense. That's why Vick remains on the hot seat in advance of Monday night's game in New Orleans, and why the Eagles as a whole remain a great, big, pressurized mess.

We've all seen this. You're driving on the highway and there's a car crawling in reverse on the shoulder just past the ramp because the driver realized too late that he was supposed to use that exit. So instead of just continuing to the next exit and figuring out the proper way to correct a mistake that can't be unmade, he has decided to do something dangerous and irresponsible that could actually end up making things much, much worse.

If Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy Reid decides this week to bench quarterback Michael Vick and replace him with rookie Nick Foles, then Reid is the driver of that car.

The exit ramp for Reid on this was two years ago, when he made the decision to go all-in on Vick as his franchise quarterback. Reid was so dazzled by Vick's ability to perform on-field feats no other quarterback could and so impressed by his own perceived success in "transforming" Vick into a more polished quarterback that he decided before the 2011 season that Vick was his guy. He built a two-year plan around Vick, signing him to a long-term deal with an escape clause after the second season and adding key pieces around him on offense and defense.

Right now, Reid is not even halfway through that plan's second year. And as upsetting as Sunday's loss was, as distressing as it is to sit through the bye week at 3-3 instead of 4-2 or better, Reid has to realize Vick gives him his best chance to win this year. He can deliberate all he wants, fire coordinators, shake up the offensive line, scare the daylights out of anyone in the organization who has reason to fear for his job. But in the end, he'll have to conclude that he and Vick are stuck with each other.

Foles can't be the answer. The kid went 2-7 in the Pac-12 in 2011. He's going to save the 2012 Philadelphia Eagles? Reid can evaluate Foles only on practice work and a couple of good-looking preseason games. That's not enough -- not when your mandate is to win at least six or seven more games the rest of the way or lose your job. As shaky and frustrating as Vick has been this year, as mind-boggling as it is that he can't learn how to take better care of the ball, Reid has seen him drive from behind to take the lead in the fourth quarter four times already. He saw him do it four times in 2010 as well. It may be easy to look from the outside and say Reid can't win with Vick, but he has. Whatever else Vick is, he's a player Reid knows gives him a chance to come back and win a close game.

Foles could be that kind of quarterback, sure. He could be the future of the franchise for all we know. But nobody knows, and right now there's no way to be sure. He hasn't proved he can stand behind a crumbling offensive line, take a step one way or the other and make a throw when he absolutely has to. He hasn't led an NFL team the length of the field in the fourth quarter to turn a deficit into a lead. And without proof, in Reid's situation, he can't take that kind of gamble.

Vick is anything but perfect, and yes, we've seen him blow it in those spots as well as easier ones. But he's the best option Reid has. Reid can't trust Foles and he can't trust Trent Edwards. Although he can't really trust Vick either, he has seen it work -- as recently as 18 days ago against the Super Bowl champs. Through all of the crushing mistakes, he has seen Vick avoid injury and make some big-time plays behind a line that has played terribly and receivers who won't block. And because those last two things aren't sure bets to improve anytime soon, Reid is stuck with the guy he knows might be able to win him a game in spite of it all.

Reid made a big bet on Vick in spite of all the flaws, believing the talent was enough to win out and propel the Eagles to glory. He made that bet knowing it might be the last big bet he got to make as Eagles coach, because if it didn't work out, his long and successful time in Philadelphia was likely to reach its end. Part of leadership is the ability to confidently project a belief in your plan and your people, and there's little point in being a head coach in the NFL for 14 years and not being the kind of man who stands by what he believes in.

Reid can't know what's ahead if he stays with Vick. It might not work out. He might not be able to get where he wants to go from here. But throwing the car in reverse and trying to get off at one of the exits he already has missed is the wrong solution. All that does is heighten the possibility of a horrible crash.

When the man in charge says he's going to tear everything up and the first thing he does is fire the defensive coordinator even though the offense is actually the problem... well, you know things aren't done happening just yet. Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy Reid had a news conference Tuesday to discuss his firing of defensive coordinator Juan Castillo, and he made it very clear that he would continue making decisions and, possibly, changes as this bye week went on.

The topic on everyone's mind is quarterback Michael Vick, who has turned the ball over 13 times through six games. A fan base that is sick of this wants to know whether Reid is too, and what if anything he's going to do about it. This is what Reid said at the news conference about Vick:

"As I sit here today he's the starting quarterback.

"Listen, I'm going through and I'm evaluating everything. I'm looking at everything. Everybody and everything.

"All I can tell you today is what I've got done today. That's all I can do and you can take that however you [want]. I'm trying to give you as much as I can give you at the time. I'm coming forward to you with this and as quickly as I possibly could to make sure I stand up here and tell you as opposed to putting out just a press release and going the opposite direction. So I want to make sure you know, the fans know, and I owe that to you guys, I owe it to them. I know everyone has an opinion. I understand. I've got it. I’m going to take it one day at a time here."

In other words: Stay tuned, and all bets are off. The Eagles cannot go through the rest of their schedule with their quarterback turning the ball over more than twice per game. They need to win more than they lose the rest of the way in order for Reid to keep his job. He knows this, and the way he's acting this week proves that. So as he evaluates "everything," Reid must obviously linger over the issue of Vick, who plays the team's most important position and who has, due to the turnovers, been a far bigger problem so far this year than poor Juan Castillo was.

I do not know what he will do, but at this point nothing would be a surprise. Reid could announce, this week or next, that he's giving the starting quarterback job to rookie Nick Foles or journeyman Trent Edwards. He could announce he's sticking with Vick, and could privately tell Vick he's going to bench him, mid-game if necessary, if the turnovers don't stop. He could do a ton of little things, like move Todd Herremans from tackle to guard and try to improve the offensive line, which is a major problem either Foles or Edwards would inherit and which could render a quarterback switch irrelevant.

My guess is he sticks with Vick for the Falcons game on Oct. 28 but that the leash is short. I think if Vick turns the ball over in the first half and/or the Eagles struggle to score prior to halftime that day, he brings Foles out as the quarterback in the second half. But I think that any Vick benching that happens this year would be temporary, and designed to send a message that helps Vick play better.

Because this isn't about seeing if Foles is the long-term answer. If the Eagles don't win at least six or seven of their remaining 10 games, it's not going to matter to Reid who the long-term answer is at quarterback, because he's not going to be around to coach him. The only reason Reid would go to Foles (or, I guess, Edwards) at this point is if he determined that that gives him the best chance to win games in 2012. And I don't see how he's got anything on which to base that kind of conclusion. You certainly can't decide that based on a couple of good-looking preseason games. It's possible that he's been working Foles more than anyone knows in practice since he closed practice to the media earlier this season, and that what he's seen there could convince him Foles is the better bet right now. Back in 2010, practice performance was one of his reasons for giving Vick this job over Kevin Kolb, so there is some precedent. But at that time, Vick had some NFL track record, and had performed well for Reid in real games. This would be a much bigger jump.

Vick's been bad -- much worse than the Eagles expected him to be. But their options for replacing him are certainly not without their own significant flaws. And this isn't a 2008 Donovan McNabb situation, because Vick is obviously working hard and trying his best. He just can't stop turning the ball over, and Reid and the Eagles can't continue to tolerate it if he does. This is why Reid is likely closer to benching Vick now than he has been at any time since giving him the job two years ago. While I still don't think he does it just now, no one should be surprised if he does. And if he doesn't, no one should be surprised if a healthy Vick fails to finish the next game.

The Castillo firing was a public announcement to everyone in the organization that no one is safe. Castillo is Reid's friend and as loyal an assistant as he had. If he could lose his job, so can anyone else. If Vick didn't get that message, and if it doesn't prompt him to fix his turnover problem, then a quarterback change in Philadelphia is right around the corner.

Click here for a complete list of Philadelphia Eagles roster moves.

Most significant move: Mike Kafka went into training camp as the favorite to be the backup quarterback behind Michael Vick. But a combination of events led to Kafka's release Friday. First, he broke his hand in the first preseason game. Second, rookie Nick Foles impressed enough that the Eagles are now comfortable with him as their No. 2 quarterback. And third, Trent Edwards played well enough to convince the Eagles to keep him as a backup quarterback over Kafka. Backup quarterback is a significant position for the Eagles, as Vick has a history of missing games due to injury and there exists a strong chance that Foles and/or Edwards will have to start games for them this season. ... The answer to which defensive lineman had to go was defensive tackle Antonio Dixon, who was the final cut announced by the team shortly before 8 p.m. ET. That means Cedric Thornton and Darryl Tapp are still on the team, and the Eagles as of now have 10 defensive linemen.

Onward and upward: Nickel cornerback Joselio Hanson was cut on this day last year, too, but was immediately brought back at a lower salary. This year, that does not seem likely to happen. This time, it appears rookie Brandon Boykin beat out Hanson for the nickel corner spot, in part because he played well there and in part because of his usefulness as a returner and special-teams player. Hanson didn't have a great year in 2011, but he looked like a good nickel corner as recently as 2010 and likely could help someone. I wonder whether the Giants take a look, given their issues with health at cornerback.

What's next: Having cut both O.J. Atogwe (who couldn't stay healthy) and undrafted rookie Phillip Thomas, the Eagles are thin at safety. The only current backup to the starters is still-unproven Jaiquawn Jarrett, and even if they believed him capable, they'd want at least one more. Look for the Eagles to troll the list of other cuts to see whether there's someone out there who can help them beef up their bench a bit in the secondary.

UPDATE: Shortly after the cut deadline, the Eagles announced they'd acquired safety David Sims from the Browns for a conditional 2013 draft pick and released offensive lineman Julian Vandervelde.

Stop for a second. Take a deep breath. Now exhale, all the way. That's it. We're done with preseason football until 2013. Doesn't it feel awesome?

The NFC East's preseason finale was a 28-10 Eagles' exhibition victory over the New York Jets on Thursday night. None of the starters played, which didn't help the game's entertainment value, but kept any of them from getting hurt, which was the point. Those who did play obviously had their eye on Friday's 9 p.m. ET final roster cut deadline, and some of them were holding their final auditions for spots. These are their stories:

• Trent Edwards, who was dropped by the Bills and Jaguars in 2010 and didn't play in the NFL last year, was an afterthought when training camp began. But he got a lot more preseason reps than expected after presumptive backup quarterback Mike Kafka broke his hand in the first game, and he played very well. Edwards played the final three quarters Thursday (after rookie Nick Foles, who's probably No. 2 behind Michael Vick after his own very strong preseason) and was 22-for-32 for 197 yards and two touchdowns. The Eagles plan to keep only three of their quarterbacks, and with Vick and Foles both locks, that means it's a choice between Edwards and Kafka for the No. 3 spot. This is Kafka's third year in the system, and if the decision is to be based on more than just this preseason, he still has to have the edge. But if they saw enough from Edwards that they think he could run their offense if Vick went down, he could surprise. He definitely looks as though he can run the offense, but he has been playing against backups, obviously. And his reputation in Buffalo was as a "Captain Checkdown" type who didn't make it through progressions. First-team defenses play with more speed and could bring that back out if he were to appear in a real game. Worth considering.
• Jaiquawn Jarrett played well at safety, and he looks safe as the backup to Nate Allen at strong safety. I think Jarrett has very good physical ability, and in a game like this that doesn't feature any game-planning, a player like Jarrett can look very good, seeking out ballcarriers and delivering big hits without getting tripped up by complex scheme or communication issues. But that's okay. Jarrett needed to show something, and he did. O.J. Atowge, on the other hand, who is slated to be Kurt Coleman's backup at free safety, got hurt again and will have an MRI on his hamstring Friday morning. Atogwe couldn't stay healthy with the Redskins last year either, and it's possible the Eagles will be hunting for safety help after the cuts come in Friday night.
• I think Bryce Brown has shown enough to make the team as the No. 3 running back ahead of Chris Polk. I also think Polk has shown enough that some other team will pick him up and the Eagles won't be able to get him on the practice squad.
• Brandon Graham and the defensive linemen getting called for offsides is something I think you should get used to. The Eagles want their defensive linemen to be hyper-aggressive, so they'll be offsides a lot. And some of them (Graham included) are quick enough off the ball to trick officials (replacement or otherwise) into thinking they're offsides even sometimes when they're not.
• It was interesting that defensive tackle Antonio Dixon didn't play. It was also interesting that -- in his postgame news conference -- Eagles coach Andy Reid said he'd "seen enough of" Dixon. Couple of different ways to read that, and a few of them make you think Dixon is the odd man out when the tough defensive line cuts come Friday night. I have to think they've at least looked into trading Darryl Tapp and his $2.6 million salary. But whether they can pull that off or not, Dixon can't be having a restful night's sleep.
• I liked Mardy Gilyard as a college player. I liked him in training camp when I was at Lehigh this summer. I liked him last night, when he doubled back and caught that duck Edwards threw into the end zone before anyone else saw it for a duck. With Damaris Johnson likely ahead of him as a receiver and a special teamer, I can't see how Gilyard makes the team. But maybe another team saw something they liked.
• Something to remember: Derek Landri and Joselio Hanson were among last season's "final" roster cuts, and both ended up back on the team. So some of Friday's moves will be procedural. The Eagles have some high-level decisions to make and will be cutting some good players.

The Philadelphia Eagles will kick off their final preseason game of 2012 at 6:35 pm ET on Thursday night against the New York Jets. Here's what I'll be watching...

Most closely: The running backs, I think. There aren't too many position battles on the Eagles' roster, but the one for third-string running back has been interesting between seventh-round pick Bryce Brown and undrafted Chris Polk. It looks to me like Brown has the edge as the better runner, but they like Polk as a blocker, and it's kept his chances alive. Can't imagine either of them would go unclaimed if released, so they're not going to be able to stash one on the practice squad and they'll need to decide which they like better.

On the other side of the ball: The safeties. Their starters are set with Nate Allen and Kurt Coleman, but backups O.J. Atowge and Jaiquawn Jarrett have shown little, and it's possible only one of them will be kept. Atogwe is the veteran who had trouble staying healthy last year in Washington. Jarrett is the second-round pick from 2011 who's been a disappointment so far. If one or both of them were to make an impression in tonight's game, it would help the Eagles feel better about their safety depth. If not, they could be in the market for a safety once other teams make their cuts Friday night.

If I think of it: Interested to watch quarterback Trent Edwards, who's scheduled to play the final three quarters in relief of Nick Foles. Can Edwards beat out the injured Mike Kafka for a roster spot? Has he already?... Who will get the defensive line snaps as the Eagles look to make decisions about how many linemen to keep?... Will Stanley Havili show enough to justify the Eagles keeping a fullback when they very rarely use one?

You want to talk Nick Foles, and that's fine. The rookie quarterback the Philadelphia Eagles took in the third round looked very good again Friday night in a 27-10 victory over the Browns in Cleveland. Foles was 12-for-19 for 146 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. The interception was on his second pass of the night, and obviously he improved after that. The touchdown passes both came from in close and both after turnovers deep in Cleveland territory, but overall Foles looks like a guy who's not scared of the rush, makes good decisions and throws a very nice deep ball.

There is a chance, as Mike Kafka continues to sit out with a broken hand and Foles continues to impress in these preseason games, that the rookie could win the backup quarterback job. And I think that could potentially make sense for reasons that have nothing to do with preseason numbers. The fact is, Foles throws the deep ball better than Kafka does, and the speed-based Eagles offense needs someone with the arm strength to throw deep.

I don't think Foles would be an effective answer for the Eagles if Michael Vick had to miss significant time this year. I think, in a case like that, Kafka would be more likely to be able to manage the game and run the offense, and they could alter the playbook to suit his skills. But if Vick goes down in a game and has to miss a few plays or can't finish, it might make sense to go with Foles. No, he doesn't have Vick's mobility, but they could still run the downfield passing game and feel confident that they had a guy who could get the ball to DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin. Something to think about.

Some other things I saw in the Eagles' third preseason game:

• Foles wasn't the only Eagles rookie who had a good game. Wide receiver Damaris Johnson, who continues to look good in the return game, had two catches for 58 yards, including a 45-yarder from Foles while falling on his back. He also appeared to make a nice touchdown catch, but upon review it was ruled that he didn't have both feet in bounds. On the topic of rookies, linebacker Mychal Kendricks continues to look fast and alert and sure with his tackling.
• The Eagles' defensive line is no joke. Derek Landri forced a fumble. Darryl Tapp and Brandon Graham had big games. These are guys who might not even be starters, and yes, next Friday the Eagles are going to have to make some tough decisions as they sort through their excellent options at defensive line. But if the Eagles' plan is to run wave after wave of fresh defensive linemen at teams, they appear well equipped to do so.
• King Dunlap started at left tackle. Demetress Bell replaced him on the second offensive series but was beaten badly to allow LeSean McCoy to take a loss. At this point, you'd have to think Dunlap starts the regular-season opener, which oddly is right back in Cleveland in 16 days.
• I know it's been criticized a lot in preseason, but I think the Eagles' defense looks fine. They're tackling well. They're covering well. It's just that, because they pursue so hard with the defensive linemen on every single play, there are going to be plays on which it looks like everything broke down. Happened on the Browns' first drive, when Brandon Weeden dumped the ball off to a wide-open tight end and converted a second-and-19. It's going to happen during the season too. It's like the opposite of a bend-don't-break defense. It's more of a "break-every-now-and-then-but-it's-okay-because-we're-making-the-quarterback's-life-miserable" defense. The risk is worth the reward, in other words.
• There were still too many penalties -- seven for 47 yards -- but it wasn't anything close to last week's epidemic that prompted the Andy Reid-Cullen Jenkins sideline shouting match. There also were no sideline shouting matches this time.
• Cliff Harris had an interception, Keenan Clayton blocked a punt... it was that kind of night. Everybody looked good, even the guys who aren't sure things to make the roster.
• Chas Henry got to punt first and did well. Mat McBriar looked good too. Makes you think whichever one doesn't win the job has a chance to latch on somewhere else.
• O.J. Atogwe sat out with an injury, which made Jaiquawn Jarrett and Phillip Thomas the backup safeties. This is not an area at which the Eagles have any reliable depth. They will lean hard on that defensive line to create pressure and the starting corners to cover and lock down receivers.
• I like what I see from Brett Brackett, the backup tight end who caught one of Foles' touchdown passes. He was a standout performer in the training camp practices I attended a few weeks ago too. Hard to see how he makes the roster, but you never know.
• Still like Bryce Brown as a runner better than Chris Polk, though Polk is the better blocker and had the better numbers Friday night. Dion Lewis is ahead of both of them as McCoy's backup, and he had a nifty 22-yard reception.
• It's worth pointing out that quarterback Trent Edwards has played well this preseason. He was 14-for-17 for 127 yards and a touchdown in this one. I guess he could make it over Kafka if Foles surpasses Kafka on the depth chart. Still lots to sort out there.

Newsy little Saturday up there at Lehigh with the Philadelphia Eagles. Quarterback Michael Vick is planning to practice in spite of the thumb injury he suffered in Thursday night's preseason opener. But backup quarterback Mike Kafka is not, because he broke his left (non-throwing) hand in that game when a Steelers player stepped on it. Rookie Nick Foles, who threw two touchdowns in the game, is taking second-team reps as Vick's backup. And left tackle Demetress Bell has been dropped to the second team after a poor Thursday performance, and King Dunlap is working as the first-team left tackle.

Got all that? Let's take the last part first.

Bell is the tackle the Eagles signed to replace star left tackle Jason Peters after Peters tore his Achilles tendon (twice) this offseason. His demotion is obviously not a good sign for the Eagles' ability to replace Peters, but it's also not necessarily permanent. Recall last year, when first-round pick Danny Watkins wasn't ready to start the opener at right guard but was able to ascend to a starter's role during the season. Offensive line coach Howard Mudd's schemes can be difficult to pick up, and it's possible that Bell needs more time. There are 29 days until the Eagles' regular-season opener in Cleveland, so he has that time if he needs it. And if he needs more, the Eagles (as they showed with Watkins) will give it to him. Dunlap has worked for a year in Mudd's system as a backup and spot starter, and I'm sure the Eagles feel they can get by with him there for a couple of weeks if need be. If Bell never gets any better, and Dunlap has to be their 16-game starter at left tackle, the Eagles could have a big problem. But today's news isn't "Bell out for season," it's "Bell needs more work."

The Kafka news is interesting because news about the backup plan for Vick is always interesting. There's a feeling of inevitability about Vick getting injured and missing time at some point during the season, so Eagles fans want to know who's next in line. The plan was for Kafka to be that guy in this, his third season on the roster and in the offense. But now they're estimating he's out three weeks with the broken hand. And given the way Thursday night went, that doesn't help him.

Interesting that Foles, and not veteran Trent Edwards, is getting the second-team snaps. Foles looked very good Thursday, completing 6-of-10 passes for 144 yards and those two touchdowns. The Eagles' third-round pick this year out of Arizona, Foles has great arm strength and great size. Should Vick get hurt and Foles be the replacement, the results would likely be spectacular in two different directions -- some eye-opening throws and plays mixed with (likely too many) damaging rookie errors. He still needs time in the offense and working on mechanics and footwork before he's a viable replacement. Even if he does throw the ball better down the field right now than Kafka does, that doesn't mean he's going through his progressions the way the Eagles need him to. Giving him the second-team reps is a good way to speed along his education. Edwards has experience, and the Eagles think he fits their offense well, so they could put him in there in a pinch in a real game. But in preseason, the Kafka injury is a chance to educate and evaluate Foles against a little bit better competition than he otherwise might have seen.

The question is how quickly Kafka gets back, and whether this injury hurts his spot on the depth chart or even the team. At this point, I'd have to think not. But his absence will give the other Vick backups a chance to make their cases.

BETHLEHEM, Pa. -- A year ago, as excitement swirled around the free-agent-happy Philadelphia Eagles and preseason predictions called for big things, something still didn't feel quite right.

"I didn't think the expectations were too high, but I knew that the timing might not match up as quickly as everyone wanted it to," cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha said after practice last week. "Because you would hear, 'Oh, they're going to be this, going to be that,' and then you'd come out in practice and you could see us blowing plays. Yes, we could be there, but we weren't there yet. That's what I was feeling in training camp. Right now in training camp, it feels completely different."

Last week, before the Eagles' training camp was rocked by Sunday's news of the death of coach Andy Reid's son Garrett, the atmosphere was serene and businesslike. The players have been practicing together since February, when Asomugha and quarterback Michael Vick were organizing players-only workouts at the University of Pennsylvania. And late July welcomed them to one of the hardest-hitting camps in the NFL. Their motivation is clear and simple -- they were 8-8 last year and believe they should have been better. They admit to being downright angry about the way the 2011 season went.

"Yeah, I think there's a determined effort to try to maximize our opportunity," Eagles general manager Howie Roseman said. "You see it from the players. You see it from the coaches. You see it from the support staff. And I think last year, maybe you underestimated how long it takes to acclimate."

No such issues or excuses this time around. This is basically the same group as last year's, with new guys at middle linebacker and left tackle. All of the coaches who were new to the team or their roles last year are back. All of the new schemes implemented last year by defensive coordinator Juan Castillo, defensive line coach Jim Washburn and offensive line coach Howard Mudd are familiar by now, and everybody should be more comfortable in them. If the Eagles flop again, there won't be anywhere to look for explanations other than within. That's why this August's focus is internal, and on the things that are important, rather than any hype they might be attracting.

"I don't want anyone buying into anything," Asomugha said. "I just want us to get into this season and just play the way we know how to play. I'll be completely honest with you: Our team looks very good. Obviously it's camp, we're not playing against anybody. But we're under specific instruction: Don't talk. Don't blow this thing up. Don't nothing. Let's just get in the season and let's just start playing football."

Once they do that, the Eagles believe that this time around, everything will be just fine.

THREE HOT ISSUES

1. Can Vick lead them to greatness? There is no player in the league under more pressure in 2012 than Vick. The brilliance of his 2010 season was away under the disappointment of his injury- and interception-riddled 2011, in which he failed to take that critical next step in his late-career development as a leader and a quarterback. The popular narrative is that this is the first time since 2006 in Atlanta that Vick has had a real offseason as a team's starting quarterback. He began 2010 as the Eagles' backup, and the 2011 offseason was wiped away by the lockout. The result, everyone says, is that Vick has spent more time than ever before at the team facility, working out, studying film and applying himself to details in order to get better.

"It's all evident," Vick said of his 2011 film review. "A lot of the turnovers I had, I think eight of them, were on balls that got tipped, so I need to try and release the ball a little higher, do something differently. There's nothing more gratifying than learning from a mistake. Interceptions are going to happen, but you try to keep them to a minimum and think about ball control."

The more focus on detail, the better for Vick, who has long relied on his unusual and considerable talent to carry him through. As last year proved, being a quarterback is about the little things, and much more than just what you can do with your arm and your legs.

"I see him just being smarter," wide receiver DeSean Jackson said of Vick. "He's taking a leadership role where he can be coached and be taught by other people as well. He's not at a point where he doesn't feel like anybody can tell him anything. He interacts, and he wants to know what it is that he's doing something wrong. And if he is doing something wrong, you can just get on him, just like a regular individual, a regular player."

2. The "quarterback of the defense." The big player acquisition of the Eagles' offseason was middle linebacker DeMeco Ryans, whom they acquired in a trade with the Houston Texans prior to the draft. Ryans is a well-respected veteran who was emerging as one of the top linebackers in the league before his 2010 Achilles injury. A misfit in the 3-4 defense the Texans implemented during his rehab, Ryans is more comfortable playing the middle linebacker spot in the Eagles' 4-3. He's also healthy and looking like the player who was so universally loved and respected by Texans teammates, who called him "Cap." The Eagles' defense, which started unprepared rookie Casey Matthews as its middle linebacker last September, should benefit from Ryans' veteran presence in the role.

"You see that stability there," Reid said. "The game's slower for him than it would be for a rookie. So he's able to just kind of get everybody lined up, get everybody settled and calmed down."

Roseman said it was a priority for the Eagles to find "the quarterback of our defense," and Ryans is aware that he was brought in to correct 2011's biggest defensive flaw. But he's trying to keep those expectations as calm as he's trying to keep his defensive teammates.

"It's not going to take one person to fix all the problems," Ryans said. "It takes everybody working together and finding out how we can make all 11 guys play better and have a better defense."

Sure, but what they like about Ryans is that he can help teach everybody just how to do that. And who can play a little, too.

"It's not like we just got a guy off the street who has some experience," Asomugha said. "This guy is a big-time player."

3. Replacin' Jason. Left tackle Jason Peters may have been the best player on the Eagles' roster last year, and that's no slight to anyone else. Peters was a monster blocker who was critical to the overall success of the offensive line and to the breakout season of running back LeSean McCoy. But Peters injured his Achilles in the offseason and is out for the year. His replacement is free-agent signee Demetress Bell, who's athletic like Peters and has the potential to be an adequate replacement. Bell's issue has been staying healthy and on the field, but so far his teammates say he's looking good and picking up Mudd's complex blocking schemes.

"I think he's one of the best options we could have had to replace Jason," left guard Evan Mathis said. "He displays great athleticism. He has a hunger to learn and a hunger to get better. And what's good for him is, Jason had a monster season, so he can go look at the film of Jason having a monster season, take what he's learning from Howard, apply it to what he's doing on the field and just try and replicate that and do exactly what Jason was doing. He's making strides daily."

REASON FOR OPTIMISM

For all that went wrong last year, the Eagles still managed to finish 8-8 and weren't eliminated from playoff contention until Week 16. Had they managed to hold just one of those blown fourth-quarter leads -- against the 49ers, Falcons or Giants, say -- we might be having a very different discussion about their 2011. They played well enough at the end of last year (and in the first three quarters of their September games) to prove to themselves they can be as good as they think they can be. If they can cut down on the costly mistakes, and if they get the mental boost they say they got from their season-ending four-game winning streak, it's not a long journey from where they were to a division title.

REASON FOR PESSIMISM

So much comes down to Vick, and with a backup corps that currently comprises Mike Kafka, Trent Edwards and rookie Nick Foles, it's more important than ever for him to stay healthy. He hasn't played 16 games in a season since 2006, and the Eagles were 1-2 in the three games he missed last year. When he's at his best, Vick gives the Eagles advantages at the position over any team in the league. He can do things with his arm and his legs that other quarterbacks can't. But his relatively small size and his all-out style of play have created a history of injury that can't be overlooked when forecasting his -- and the Eagles' -- season. If he doesn't play well, or if they lose him for an extended period of time, it's going to be difficult for them to compete with the top teams in the NFC.

OBSERVATION DECK

[+] Enlarge
Kevin C. Cox/Getty ImagesNow fully healthy, WR Jeremy Maclin has the tools to have a career season in 2012.
• Wide receiver Jeremy Maclin is a breakout candidate. He was sick this time last year and wasn't able to get a lot out of training camp, and he had injury issues throughout the season. But he's 100 percent healthy now, and he gives the Eagles a big-time speed threat opposite Jackson in the wide receiver corps. Don't be surprised if Maclin has a better statistical season than Jackson.
• I think McCoy will miss Peters at left tackle, because the Eagles ran outside a lot last year and Peters' upfield blocking was a huge help to McCoy's ability to break long runs. But having watched the Eagles work on their inside running in camp, I get the impression they're so strong in the middle of the offensive line -- especially given how much better 2011 first-round pick Danny Watkins looks at right guard -- that McCoy will be able to run successfully between the tackles more than he did a year ago.
• Brandon Graham is the 2012 Eagles in microcosm. Fans are sick of hearing how good he's supposed to be and just want to see it. The 2010 first-round pick looks fantastic in the early going and should be able to make a contribution as part of the rotation at defensive end. Reid says the plan is to rotate eight guys on the defensive line and "throw fastballs, if we can, at the offensive line." A healthy, productive Graham subbing in to give Trent Cole or Jason Babin a breather would go a long way toward enabling that.
• Jamar Chaney was playing well enough to look like the starter at weakside linebacker before a hamstring injury in the second week of camp sidelined him. So that could be Matthews or Brian Rolle if Chaney can't keep his momentum going. Rookie Mychal Kendricks is supposed to start on the strong side, but the Eagles are taking things slowly with him. Don't be surprised if, as with Watkins a year ago, his role is bigger in the second half than it is at the start.
• Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, the starter at cornerback opposite Asomugha, looks spry and comfortable in his new role. He played the slot cornerback position last year, which he never has before, and should be better on the outside.
• Rookie Brandon Boykin could win that slot corner job ahead of veteran Joselio Hanson. Boykin is also helping as a kick returner.
• It's possible the Eagles could go without a fullback. They didn't use one much last year, and they like what backup tight end Brett Brackett has been showing in camp. They could use him or Clay Harbor along with Brent Celek in multiple tight end sets.

There is legitimate concern around the Philadelphia Eagles about what would happen if starting quarterback Michael Vick went down with an injury. The current backups are third-year man Mike Kafka, veteran Trent Edwards and rookie Nick Foles. The likelihood at this point is that, if Vick had to come out of a game or miss a game with an injury, Kafka would be first in line ahead of Edwards, who didn't play in the NFL last season.

Nick Fierro spoke with Eagles quarterbacks coach Doug Pederson, who says he thinks Kafka is ready for the role of backup to Vick, and Nick sounds as though he's buying into the idea:

Kafka has the leadership tools as well. Remember, it was he, not Vick, who was the driving force behind the player-organized workouts in Marlton, N.J., during last year's labor stoppage, and his command of the offense is as good or better than any quarterback going into his third season as offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg has ever seen.

Mike Kafka

#3 QB
Philadelphia Eagles

2011 STATS

• Att16
• Comp11
• Yds107
• TD0
• Int2
• Rat47.7

Now, if Vick were to go down for all or most of the season, it might be a different story. But for a couple of games or stretches during games when Vick might be dinged, don't expect the offense to malfunction that much just because a less talented quarterback like Kafka will run the show.

The Eagles have a good enough system and, more importantly, more than good enough talent at the other positions to remain effective.

That's the key thing to remember here. Those who fear the Eagles just ignored the backup quarterback spot this offseason might be focusing on the wrong thing. The Eagles believe in Mornhinweg, and in their system, and in the idea that a quarterback whose talents they like should be ready, by his third year in that system, to run the offense. Kafka fits that description, and as the Eagles surveyed other options for backup quarterback this offseason, they clearly didn't find anyone they thought would be better able to handle the task than Kafka would.

He can't throw like Vick, but almost no one can. He can't run like Vick, but absolutely no other quarterback can. If Kafka is playing and Vick isn't, the Eagles likely will call different plays. But given the talent he'd have around him, as long as he doesn't pull a Vince Young and start throwing interceptions all over the place, it's possible to believe a game or two with Kafka at the helm wouldn't be a complete disaster.