Eagles Interested in Tarvaris Jackson?
Posted: August 15th, 2012 | Author: Tommy Lawlor | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | 32 Comments »Most interesting rumor of the day.
Cody Benjamin of Bleeds Green has heard from a source that the Eagles are “among teams in talks with the Seahawks in regard to QB Tarvaris Jackson”.
Don’t go ripping on Cody. I have no idea how credible the source is, but Cody does good work so if he trusts the guy, it’s most likely legit.
So why would the Eagles be interested in Tarvaris Jackson, who may have fallen to 3rd on Seattle’s depth chart? Mike Kafka’s injury is likely the primary reason. Kafka wasn’t a sure thing as #2 coming into the offseason. Per an Eagles coach, he started slowly in the mini-camps and OTAs before heating up. Kafka has impressed me in what I’ve seen of him in video feeds from Lehigh.
Kafka was okay in the PIT game, but hardly jumped out and screamed “Trust me as your backup!!!” Then he went and got hurt. Someone stepped on his hand and broke a bone. This robs Mike of crucial preseason games vs NE and CLE. He might return for the finale, but would that be too late to figure things out?
The hope was that Kafka would play well in the PS games and we’d all have faith in him heading into the season. I realize that even with a good PS, we’d all be nervous the first time Mike actually had to start a regular season game. He’s unknown so you can’t help but have some doubts.
Now, Kafka is on hold for 2 to 3 weeks. The Eagles are saying all the right things, but who knows what they are really thinking.
How does Nick Foles fit into this? He had a very good showing on Thursday, but let’s not make that out to mean that he is the answer to the #2 job this year. We have seen rookies step up and play well in some recent years. We’ve seen others who won ugly. Could Foles do either for us?
Foles will likely play a decent amount vs NE. He could play most of the 2nd half. The CLE game is just 4 days after that and Nick could play a lot in that game. Wouldn’t surprise me to see him get 2 1/2 to 3 Qtrs. The Eagles want to find out where he is and what he can do, especially against some 1’s and 2’s.
Now let’s shift over to Tarvaris Jackson. He’s lost the QB job to free agent Matt Flynn and rookie Russell Wilson. Why would you want him?
Jackson has 34 career starts. He has been in the league since 2006. He started one playoff game, which he lost to us back in 2008. Jackson played for Brad Childress in MIN so he knows our system, or a close variation of it.
Jackson isn’t a polished passer that will thrive in a pass heavy offense. He is much better when he’s playing in a play-action attack. Still, he does have some sense of our offense and that would help quite a bit. Vince Young was totally new to the offense last year and it showed. I’ve read things in the past that questioned his work ethic in college and in the NFL. I don’t think anyone at the NovaCare Complex misses VY.
Jackson has always been a good teammate and hard worker. He’s just not meant to be a starting QB. He could be a solid backup.
Check out these numbers:
Tarvaris – 1053 pass attempts – 59.4 Comp % – 38 TD, 35 INT – 89 sacks – 159 rushing attempts
V Young – 1304 pass attempts – 57.9 Comp% – 46 TD, 51 INT – 83 sacks – 282 rushing attempts
You can see that Vince is more of the runner. 123 more attempts despite just 251 more pass attempts. VY was allowed to improvise and played in a loose offense. Jackson had the benefit of playing in a structured offense for a veteran offensive coach.
Don’t mis-read this. I’m not saying Jackson is a good passer. My point is that he’s shown that he can play in a disciplined system, even if he’s not great at running it. If you’re looking for a backup, you could do a lot worse.
The Eagles offense was terrible with VY at the helm. He could not get the ball to the playmakers. I think Jackson would be better at that. No guarantees, but I do think he would.
Tarvaris greatly outplayed Vince last year.
Seattle is reportedly shopping Tarvaris. They won’t get much in return. That’s okay with them. I don’t think they’ll be looking to break the bank.
What would happen with the Eagles? Kafka would be the odd man out. Vick is here to stay and Foles is the future. Jackson would be the short term #2. Maybe you trade Kafka for a conditional pick. Heck, maybe SEA wants him as their #3. Kafka is fine as a #3 QB. He might be a good backup. Problem is that he needed to prove himself this summer and is now injured. You’re going to need a lot of faith to keep him as the primary backup. Andy and Marty might feel that way.
Remember that Howie and Andy say they’re always looking to improve the team. They check into a lot of situations to see who is available and what the cost is. Could be the Tarvaris talks are just about curiosity. Could be the Eagles have serious interest. We’ll find out soon enough. My guess is that the Eagles would love to see Foles play on Monday before making a move. That would give them a better idea of where he truly is and just how much they might need or not need help at QB.
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Makes sense,
The thing is, as you point out Tavaris Jackson can play. Kafka hasn’t shown that he can play. Further, what we really all but know about Kafka is that his arm is too weak and he will ultimately throw down the middle right into an interception. Yes we need Tavaris because as long as he can get enough coaching to not make terrible mistakes he can play. And get real –Kafka can’t.
Tommy,
It seems rather late in camp to bring in a primary backup quarterback. Tarvaris may have some familiarity from Minnesota but still tough to learn on the fly (remember last year’s training camp). Kafka, for better or worse will be the backup this year. Remember the coaching staff must have some confidence in him; he wasn’t too bad last year as the backup. Next year Foles will be the #2 and Kafka will be moved, some way.
As far as Cody, I enjoy his writing but one of his other posts was pushing the notion of a Colt McCoy to the Eagles trade. My assumption is the next post might be Skelton or Cobb back to Philly or Favre out of retirement. Kafka must have run over Cody’s dog or something.
I’m not totally sold on Kafka, Foles isn’t ready, my prediction is Trent Edwards mysteriously gets hurt and is “stashed” for more insurance.
Just An Average Joseph
They can’t stash Edwards, IR is permanent. The easy way of stashing Edwards is to cut him and ask him to keep in shape and wait by the phone.
Eagles marketing must’ve worked really well on me during the 2010 offseason, because I just want Kolb back over all these other options.
Kolb would make a lot of sense, he’s had his shot, knows he’ll never get to start for a team where he’d survive (i.e. he might get a shot on a team like Cleveland, but that’s death for QBs).
Depends on his contract, if it’s mostly bonus, you can trade for him, if there’s a big salary, you have to wait for Zona to cut him so you can negotiate an affordable deal.
Kolb needs a really good O-line, He just cannot effectively deal with pressure, it was his biggest weakness even when here, What would be great is to get Kolb for nothing, then trade him again for picks.
For Kolb to come back here, he himself would have to admit his career as a starter is over. I think he’d still want a shot somewhere, however unlikely that would be if he is indeed cut by the Cards.
Re: Foles as the No. 2 QB . . . or Tarvaris Jackson at No. 2?
History says there’s no chance . . . no chance . . . that Nick Foles
will be the Eagles No. 2 QB this year — even if both Kafka and Trent
Edwards break both arms and legs. Reid will bring in someone else.
Were the team’s expectations different, maybe Foles would have a shot.
In the past 55 years, the Eagles have entered the regular season only
SIX (6) times with a rookie as the No. 2 QB on the depth chart. 3 of
those 6 seasons occurred within 5 years in the early ’70s when the
Eagles were genuinely awful and in disarray — i.e., think 1998 for
context.
1. In 1957, Sonny Jurgensen — a 4th rd pick (43rd player in the draft) — backed up the aging Tommy Thompson.
2. In 1970, rookie free agent Rick Arrington from Tulsa (by way of U-GA) backed up the soon-to-be-departed Norm Snead.
3. In 1972, 1st-round pick — No. 14 overall — John Reaves started
the year as the back up to Pete Liske (whom the Eagles drafted in 1964
out of Penn State but who chose the AFL Jets and then Canada before
coming to Philadelphia in 1971). Reaves eventually was handed the
starting job out of desperation by Coach Ed Khayat — coming off a 6-5-1
record as the Eagles 1971 interim HC and who expected big things in ’72 as the full time HC — but Reaves went 0-7.
4. In 1974, rookie 4th-round pick Mike Boryla — whom Eagles coach
Mike McCormack acquired after the draft from Cincinnati for the Birds’
1976 1st and 1975 6th round picks — backed up Roman Gabriel. Boryla
went 3-0 that year, starting the last 3 games of the season after the Eagles fell out of the playoff race at 4-7 and Gabriel took a big step back from his great ’73 performance.
5, In 1985, rookie 2nd rounder Randall Cunningham out of UNLV backed
up Ron Jaworski, heading into the twilight of his career as an Eagle.
HC Marion Campbell — desperate like Ed Khayat in 1972 — panicked and put Randall
in as a starter after only 1 game. Cunningham went 1-4, with 1 TD passing and 8 INTs . . . and then went back to the bench. The Eagles finished 7-9 that year, 3 games behind NFC East co-leaders NYG, Wash, and Dallas. If Jaws starts those 5 games, the Eagles may have won the division.
6. In 1999, Doug Pedersen began the season as the Eagles starter
with rookie 1st rounder Donovan McNabb on the bench. But — unlike the coaching moves in 1972, 1974, and 1985 regarding Reaves, Boryla, and Randall — I always understood that Pedersen was just keeping the seat warm
for McNabb in ’99.
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T-Law can address this topic, but my recollection is the Eagles like Tarvaris Jackson coming out of Alabama State University in 2006. The Eagles didn’t have a developmental QB in wings — and ended up w/ D-Mac, J-Garcia, and AJ Feeley as their QBs that season.
Jackson had — and has — good size, a strong arm, and is very mobile. All he needs was to be schooled in the WCO. And who better Reid and MM.
In the 2006 draft, the Vikings — under new Head Coach and former Eagles OC Brad Childress — traded a pair of 3rd-round picks to jump up to grab Jackson at the end of Rd 2. Jackson joined Gus Frerotte to replace QBs Brad Johnson and Dante Culpepper. And Jackson was clearly Chilly choice to be QB of the future.
By 2008, Jackson was the Vikings starter in the playoffs against the Eagles. He didn’t play particularly well — but under Chilly, the Vikings were built around the best defense in football and the best RB in football.
After the Vikes fired Childress and drafted Christian Ponder in 2011, Jackson’s days were numbered in Minnesota. He’s now facing the same situation in Seattle with Matt Flynn and the diminutive one, Russell Wilson, competing for the QB spot.
Jackson has to be better than Vince Young. So . . . T-LAW . . . is he better than Kafka?
Were the Eagles to add Jackson, the team’s story line would sound something like this: He’s a quick learner and should pick up the team’s offense, especially after having played for Childress in MN. True? Who knows.
But intriguing.
Exactly right about Eagles pre-draft interest. They did like him.
I think I’d prefer Edwards to Jackson. Edwards really lost his starting job to injuries, Jackson to incompetence – Carroll gave him a chance to win the job last year then signed Flynn and drafted Wilson – that says it all, doesn’t it?
Edwards when healthy (and of sound mind as well) is a smart, accurate passer. Jackson has the bigger arm, but a slow release, he might have made sense when Castillo was the OL coach and McNabb was the QB, because there wouldn’t have been a huge change in QB styles.
I always thought Jackson had an awkward release.
I just don’t know that Edwards will ever get back to what he was. That hit from Adrian Wilson may have changed him forever. Played well vs PIT, but didn’t have to deal with top DBs or legit pass rush. Would have to pass that test before he could be taken seriously.
Maybe he gets to share earlier reps with Foles in the 3rd quarter against NE to get a better sense of where he’s at. I liked his leadership and sense of urgency in that Pitt 4th quarter – against scrubs notwithstanding.
I think it’s really too early to move on from Kafka, yes he’s unproven but the Eagles went into this preseason thinking that he could be the guy behind Vick. What would have changed their mind? It seems like the Eagles just like to explore QB options, don’t forget there were rumors of Reid wanting Peyton as well. I wouldn’t rule out the move, but I do think they are probably just looking at the possibility.
Of course, I thought it was too early to move on from Kolb and they did. So who knows.
Very valid.
Ugh… never been a fan of Tavaris. I wouldn’t give up anything for him.
His cost would be minimal…6th or 7th round pick.
Possibly even Kafka, as rare as player for player trades are.
A 6th or 7th round pick could be Jason Kelce or Bryce Brown. It’s not likely but it does happen. Tavaris just… is so mediocre. Whenever I’ve watched him play I’ve always come away wondering why people were trying to cast him a starter, he strikes me as a 3rd guy on the depth chart.
I can’t say I’m excited to hear this. It sounds an awful lot like VY redux to me.
I was hoping they’d sign him (Jackson) last year, but now? No thanks. Although he’s used to a similar system, it would still take him a long time to learn this offense. Would he be ready by week 4? Week 8? I’d stick with Kafka/Foles.
I had Tavaris Jackson at the top of my backup QB list last year as well. If only the Eagles and Jackson could have pulled off a couple of years type deal we might be set at backup QB for this year. Then again, maybe we’ll be glad he didn’t come and we were able to bring Foles into the fold.
I’ve always backed this guy as someone who has the tools but was rushed into playing and not ever given time to sit, develop and play pressure-free. I feel like he fits the mold of the guy who would thrive here with some coaching, and also the thought that he doesn’t have to scratch and claw for his job.
Just think, if the Eagles get him and he plays against the Seahawks, we could see this again with different uniforms:
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highlights/09000d5d80de1b09/Wild-Card-Can-t-Miss-Play-Bird-of-prey
That highlight never gets old.
This guy just posed on Bleeding Green Nation, he’s cut up a bunch of players snaps from the first preseason game. Really easy to see who you should be watching and a great way for us to see some of what Tommy is talking about.
http://www.eaglesfan4life.com/
Dunlap looked very very solid against the Steelers, he’s not gonna make a whole lotta plays but he should be ok if Bell doesn’t get his act together.
So is it safe to say that Kendricks is the athletic LB we’ve been searching for? I was excited about Sims before he got here and we all realized he is dumb as a stump. Hopefully Kendricks is the total package.
Off topic, but prepping for upcoming the upcoming fantasy season, Can someone please explain to me why the Panther’s haven’t made a move for Plax? The team has cap room (that they won’t need to carry over) and he’s not going to cost much over the Vet minimum.
A redzone offense with a great O-line, Plax opposite Smith, Olsen, Tolbert, Stewart/Williams, and Cam on the field at the same time? Pick your poison scary
They’re just going to keep 5 running backs and Steve Smith on the field. Passing is overrated to them.
I’m guessing that Rivera doesn’t want a player like Plax acting as a bad influence over young players on the team. Fair or not, Plax doesn’t have a great reputation.