Philadelphia Eagles Sign Michael Vick

NFL News - August 14th, 2009 - Written by Bruce

There has been plenty of speculation surrounding what team would sign Michael Vick. That question has now been answered as the Philadelphia Eagles have agreed to a two year deal with Vick. In the first year of the deal Vick will earn $1.6 million, while the second year will be a club option worth $5.2 million. Vick can also earn an extra $3 million over the course of the two years if he meets certain incentives. It has been two years now since Vick was convicted for running a dog fighting operation. He ended up serving 23 months in federal prison and he is now hoping to resume his once brilliant NFL career. Before his legal troubles, Vick was arguably the most dynamic player in the league. He set an NFL record in the last season he played when he rushed for 1.039 yards with the Atlanta Falcons back in 2006. That is the most yards a quarterback has ever rushed for in a single season. Philadelphia is hoping that the addition of Vick will add a big play threat to go along with quarterback Donovan McNabb and an exciting Eagles offense.

After the Eagles preseason game on Thursday, McNabb addressed the Vick signing. He said that it was him who actually lobbied for the Eagles to bring Vick in. McNabb tried to recruit Vick to join him at Syracuse when the two were in college, and with last night's signing he will finally get his chance to play alongside Vick. When asked about the signing Head Coach Andy Reid stated, "I'm a believer that as long as people go through the right process, they deserve a second chance". Former Colts and Buccaneers Head Coach Tony Dungy has become a mentor for Vick, and he seems to be the perfect person to be in his corner right now. There will definitely be a back lash from animal rights groups such PETA. Since his release, Vick has shown remorse for what he did and began trying to restore his image by working with certain charitable organizations.

When Michael Vick came into the league he took the NFL by storm. He was the number one overall pick in the 2001 NFL Draft, and once was the highest paid player in the NFL. Last July, Vick filed for bankruptcy listing his assets at $16 million with debts of more than $20 million. With the emergence of the Wildcat offense used by the Miami Dolphins last year, Vick could be the perfect fit to use his explosive running abilities in just that type of offense. Along with his record 1.039 rushing yards in 2006, Vick averaged a remarkable 8.45 yards per carry that season which is also an NFL record. Vick is allowed to immediately begin working out with the Eagles and can play in the team's final two preseason games. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is expected to fully reinstate Vick by Week 6 of the regular season at the latest. How long it will take Vick to back into NFL shape remains to be seen, but there is no doubt that the buzz surrounding the 2009 Philadelphia Eagles just got a lot bigger.

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