Foles believes he can be Eagles' starting quarterback

On the same day that the Eagles brought potential first-round quarterback Geno Smith in for a NovaCare visit, Nick Foles met with reporters Wednesday and made it clear that he thinks he can be the team's starting quarterback next season, foot-speed be damned.

"Whoever's the quarterback of your team, you build your offense around them,'' Foles said. "I feel like I can go in and run anything. I'm here to compete. Everybody's here to achieve the same goal and that's to win.''

Because Chip Kelly ran a read-option offense at Oregon, and because Foles doesn't have the speed to run the read-option, it has been assumed he will be the odd man out when Kelly decides on a starting quarterback.

Michael Vick? Maybe. Dennis Dixon? Maybe. Geno Smith or EJ Manuel or Matt Scott? Maybe.

Foles? Uh, probably not.

But Foles isn't buying it.

"There's different kinds of quarterbacks,'' he said. "You play to the strength of whoever your quarterback is."

Andy Reid, the guy who drafted Foles last year, is gone, replaced by Kelly. But Kelly is familiar with Foles from having coached against him in college. He knows what he can do and can't do.

"I understood when I got here that (pro football) is a business,'' Foles said. "I've known Chip. I knew him in college. Played against him several times. He knows me well. He's studied me. So there was a relationship. It's not like I'm going into a situation where we don't even know who each other is.

"I feel comfortable. I'm excited Excited for the opportunity to compete.''