Read Sports Geek’s argument that Minnesota was the best fit for Michael Vick and Bleacher Fan’s argument that Tampa Bay was the best fit.
If you had your television or computer on at all this weekend, or if you have been conscious at any point since Thursday night, you know that “free agent” quarterback Michael Vick has signed with the Philadelphia Eagles. You have also probably seen the footage of him practicing at Eagles camp, and you have probably read the quotes from head coach Andy Reid and from Eagles players about how much he brings to the table. Whether or not he is a good fit in the city of Brotherly Love has been debated over and over. Will he be a backup to Donavan McNabb? Does the West Coast offense maximize his potential? Can offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg create plays for him to showcase his talent? The list goes on and on. The Sports Debates is glad Vick is back in the league. He brings buzz to football, and we are excited to see #7 do what he does best. But, instead of debating his situation, we are going to step back and debate which team should have signed Vick. What team is truly the best fit for him? Sports Geek will argue Minnesota is the best fit, while Bleacher Fan will argue Tampa Bay would have been the best fit for the artist formerly known as Ron Mexico. I will argue San Francisco should have done their best to get Vick.
Being in the southeastern part of the country, I do not hear a lot about the San Francisco 49ers anymore. Obviously, I used to back in the 1980’s and 1990’s, during the heyday of the organization. The days of Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, and Steve Young are gone. These are the days of Shaun Hill, a way past his prime Isaac Bruce, and a hot-headed Vernon Davis. In fact, look at the depth chart. Does that team intimidate you? Does it have that buzz factor? The buzz surrounding the 49ers these days is the ridiculousness of Michael Crabtree. Adding Vick to the team would be a spark to the organization and give the team the league wide buzz they need since being on the west coast the 49ers sometimes seem to get lost in the shuffle.
On the field, his addition would be huge. Where he is a clear backup quarterback in Philadelphia behind Donavan McNabb, he would have had a chance to battle Shaun Hill and Alex Smith for the starting quarterback position. Imagine Vick teaming up with Crabtree (assuming he signs eventually). That could have been a potent combination. Even if he were not named starter, he still could spruce up the offense though. By all accounts, Vick appears to be in excellent shape and he claims to still have the same speed. Also, head coach Mike Singletary is trying to rebuild the 49ers and change their image and attitude. While the expected protests by the Humane Society and various animal rights groups would happen (and they will happen in Philly, also), I think that signing Vick would have taken the organization forward. He would not be expected to be a life saver because the 49ers are not that far away from being a playoff contender. They showed strides in the second half of the season (they went 5-4) under Singletary as he tries to find players that he can win with (as opposed to “Can’t Win with Them”).
While he may end up being a good fit in Philadelphia, I feel like he would have been better suited for San Francisco. The media and fan scrutiny in Philly is going to be off the charts, and he is going to be thrown right into the heat of arguably the league’s most competitive division – the NFC East. Dallas, Washington, and New York all promise to bring more scrutiny than Arizona, Seattle, and St. Louis would have!
