The Daily Philadelphian

A few short weeks ago, Kevin Kolb was prepping for his second season as the Eagles unquestioned backup quarterback. Then, he injured his knee and the team signed a guy named Vick.

Suddenly, questions about his place on the team arose. Was he still The Man should anything happen to Donovan NcNabb? Or would he play second fiddle to Vick?

The bottom line is this: Kolb shouldn’t worry yet. Videogame Vick is simply Andy Reid’s toy for the year. He is the new, improved version of Koy Detmer. Call him Detmer 2.0.

Michael Vick is Koy Detmer 2.0.

Detmer dressed as the second quarterback for years on gamedays, just as Vick will this year. However, Detmer was not the backup to McNabb during his final years in green, just as Vick won’t be this year. Kolb will dress as the third guy, but will be second on the depth chart. Confused? It’s all a matter of Reid using the roster system to his advantage.

NFL rules mandate that teams can dress a third “inactive” quarterback each Sunday. However, if that player takes the field before the fourth quarter, the team loses the other two signal callers for the game. So, if Kolb is the third QB on any given Sunday, the Eagles would have to play without Vick and McNabb for the rest of the game if Kolb plays during the first three quarters.

Reid has done this before, to a lesser extent. Detmer was activated each week because he was the best holder for kicker David Akers. Detmer was simply a specialist his final few years in the league. Reid had to activate him, but didn’t want to burn a gameday roster spot on such a player. So, he played with the quarterback listings each Sunday.

Reid will do the same this year. He gets a Wildcat player, another playmaker on the field, without taking away a spot from another position. He won’t have to dress one less linebacker, corner, running back, receiver, tight end or lineman.

Vick has never been an accurate passer, and was never a great pocket quarterback. The only way he passes Kolb on the official depth chart is if Kolb falters. The back-up job is Kolb’s to lose.