The Philadelphia Eagles had to make a big choice between Michael Vick and Kevin Kolb in 2010. These days, Eagles fans have likely regretted that choice, given how Vick struggled after he won. But regardless of how bad Vick did in 2011 and 2012, Philadelphia is still sticking by him, which is more than what the Arizona Cardinals did for Kolb after two years.
Kolb was cut by the Cardinals on March 15, two years after they traded Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie to the Eagles to get him. Yet the trade has failed for both teams, as Philadelphia let Rodgers-Cromartie go to Denver and Arizona put Kolb back on the market within days.
The struggles of Vick and Kolb led to the Eagles and Cardinals firing long-time coaches Andy Reid and Ken Whisenhunt. However, when Philadelphia hired Chip Kelly, it gave Vick new life and one more chance with Kelly’s option offense. In contrast, Arizona’s hiring of Bruce Arians did nothing to bail Kolb out.
The Cardinals don’t have an ideal replacement for Kolb yet, just as the Eagles never really found one for Vick. Yet while this made Philadelphia resign itself to taking Vick back, Arizona cut Kolb despite only having oft-injured John Skelton and free agent Drew Stanton as potential starters.
The Cardinals could draft a quarterback next month, as their No. 7 pick might be high enough to land Geno Smith. However, there is no potential long-term franchise quarterback available in the draft or free agency, like Arizona and Philadelphia once thought Kolb might be.
The Eagles never gave Kolb a real chance to be a star, especially when Vick emerged in 2010. But given Kolb’s struggles with the Cardinals, it’s hard to argue he would have done that much better as the Eagles’ starter. Anyone could have been better than Vick in the last two years, yet Kolb might not have been better by much.
Nevertheless, Vick stumbled into getting a longer leash with the Eagles than Kolb got with the Cardinals. In that regard, Vick has prevailed over Kolb again, despite how both quarterbacks and their teams haven’t done much winning since 2010.
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