Birds Not Likely to Make QB or RB Move Now
A source close to the situation said today that the Eagles are not looking to add a quarterback or a running back right now.
That would seem to indicate that the team views the injuries to quarterback Michael Vick and running back LeSean McCoy as short term, no more than a few weeks.
If Vick's rib cartilage tear is going to keep him out more than a few weeks, the Eagles would seem to need a veteran backup quarterback to play behind Kevin Kolb. The only other QB on the roster is rookie Mike Kafka.
That has led to speculation that Jeff Garcia could be available for his third tour of duty with the Eagles. Garcia was brought in last year when Donovan McNabb was out for 2 weeks with a rib injury.
The potential complication this time is that Garcia is playing for the Omaha Nighthawks, of the United Football League, and playing quite well. Terms of his contract would require any NFL team interested in him to buy out his UFL contract by paying the Nighthawks $150,000 and then the move must be approved by the UFL.
Garcia, however, said any suggestion that he is returning to the Eagles, or the NFL right now, is just speculation.
"I know I signed a contract committing myself to the Omaha Nighthawks," Garcia told the Omaha World Herald. "If there is a way out of it, I don't know the fine print. And it's not something I'm investigating right now.
"I don't even want to talk what-ifs. I've gotten myself in trouble in the past with what-ifs. If it becomes reality, it will be something that we have to think about and discuss. Until then, I'm not going to get distracted with outside talks."
Garcia is 42-for-75 for 509 yards, with five touchdowns and two interceptions, for the 2-0 Nighthawks.
"There are teams out there that have needs, and it's more than just Philadelphia," Garcia said. "Until one of those teams calls and actually talks to my agent, or calls here and talks to [Omaha GM] Rick Mueller, it's just talk. I've been through this before, and my whole attitude has been not to get caught up in it. I'm going to focus on what I'm doing here and trying to get better and help this team to more wins."
The Eagles have three running backs in addition to McCoy, who played the second half of Sunday's loss to the Redskins with his cracked rib. McCoy's 445 total yards rank fifth in the NFL.
The Eagles might be more likely to make a roster move this week involving a wide receiver, since rookie Riley Cooper suffered a concussion against the Redskins, leaving the Birds with the bare minimum of three wideouts.