NFP»Columns»The Players Page
RSS

Vick needs time and a team

Now that he’s back in the league, who wants him? Matt Bowen

Bookmark and Share Print This Send This July 27, 2009, 05:11 PM EST
22 Comments

Late this afternoon, the NFL announced that former Falcons QB Michael Vick — who served 23 months in a federal prison for his role in a dogfighting operation — has been conditionally reinstated and could play football by Week 6, or sooner, if he does what Commissioner Roger Goodell has outlined for him.

Roger GoodellRoger Goodell

In an official release from the league office sent to the NFP, Goodell told Vick, “My decision at that time will be based on reports from outside professionals, your probation officer, and others charged with supervising your activities, the quality of your work outside football, the absence of any further adverse involvement in law enforcement, and other concrete actions that you take that are consistent with your representations to me.”

The release also said that former Colts head coach Tony Dungy has agreed to continue to mentor Vick.

Yes, there will be still be plenty of eyes on Vick from the league office to see how he progresses off the field — and if he should be fully reinstated — but as of now, Vick is a true free agent in the NFL and can sign with any team that is willing to wait. How long? Goodell said he would make a decision “by Week Six,” meaning he could decide sooner, based on Vick’s actions, whether to allow him to return.

Now, who wants him?

Before we start throwing out names, there’s something here that strikes me as beneficial from Vick’s perspective and his ability to play football — because right now, he is still an unknown in that we don’t know for sure what he’s capable of.

But by waiting until October to fully reinstate him to the league, a team could come in, sign Vick and see how he does in a camp. And the more I think about it, why not? Why wouldn’t you take that chance if you were interested and if you weren’t worried at the possible public backlash by having Vick in your uniform during camp?

Michael VickAPMichael Vick

The way I see it, Vick is in no way ready to walk onto a football field and play. He’s just not, and you can say all you want about his athletic ability, his cannon arm and his abnormal talent with a ball in his hands. But that takes time to redevelop. Sure, it isn’t gone by any means, but it has to be polished, it has to be worked on and, at this level, it has to be perfected to work.

And now, if given that opportunity, he has time to do that.

Time to build his conditioning, time to get into a new playbook (which will be huge for his comeback) and time to prove all of us wrong — and I’m including myself here — that he’s still capable of leading an offense from the quarterback position.

Trust me, I played against Vick in my career and was on the losing end of a absolute disaster of a beating his Falcons gave to my Packers in the first-ever home playoff loss at historic Lambeau Field once upon a time. He was, to put it mildly, unstoppable that night.

And that’s the point here. He had those skills, and he will have them again, just not today or tomorrow, or even a week from now. Time — valuable time that Vick hasn’t had for the past two years — is the key issue. And now he has it.

But is there a team willing to take that risk, which, if we think about it, may not be that big of a risk? I can’t imagine that he would demand top dollar on the open market — unless multiple teams get involved — and I can’t see a team actually handing out a deal that spans more than one season.

He will be on a trial basis with the commissioner and a team if he does end up in a camp this summer — almost on a trial basis to see what comes next.

Make no mistake about it: Vick is going to have to prove himself all over again in this league, but that is exactly the opportunity he’s getting by this recent news.

Now we just sit back and wait to see who that team is. Yes, he can play football again, but just like any free agent who’s sitting at home today, the phone still has to ring.

Would you call him? Because that’s exactly what 32 teams in the NFL are faced with right now.

Follow me on Twitter: MattBowen41

Comments

Add a Comment
Northwoods Tom
Jul 27, 2009
05:18 PM

Was at that Packers-Falcons game at Lambeau... brutal night.

Why this guy isn't suspended for the entire season is beyond me. I guess jail time is looked at as suspension time in the NFL.

Will Plax get the same treatment after his sentence?

Romo4MVP
Jul 27, 2009
05:21 PM

Jags... he can take Garrard's spot after another slow start and save the franchise... if we are playing Madden on XBox.

This guy won't make any plays this year, but if you can get him under a minimum deal contract I don't see the risk.

Harold
Jul 27, 2009
05:25 PM

This is the same guy who lied in the face of the Commish, right?

He got off easy... should have been a year minimum.

Brat Man
Jul 27, 2009
05:29 PM

Lucky, lucky, lucky....

Still think he heads to Oakland

Mike in SF
Jul 27, 2009
05:32 PM

Can't say that Vick wouldn't be a good backup plan if the Niners come out of camp with no answer at QB... He has over a month of camp to get his body into football shape, learn the playbook, and maybe act as a second option if Smith or Hill start the season slow.

As a Niner fan, I wouldn't have a problem watching him in a Niner uni

Mark M
Jul 27, 2009
07:06 PM

Teams where Vick would be the best QB on the roster by mid-season:
Washington, Minnesota if no Farve, San Francisco, Seattle, St. Louis, Buffalo, Miami, Cleveland, Jacksonville, Houston, Oakland, Denver.

I'll give a pass to rookies who are their teams QB of the future: Stafford, Sanchez and Freeman.

meateater
Jul 27, 2009
07:27 PM

Two big questions here: which team and what kind of contract?

Obvious teams are Vikes, Redskins, TB, SF, Broncs and maybe Seattle, Bills and Browns. How rich they are prepared to go could be the determing factor, as Vick is in a tough financial spot. Maybe I'm crazy but if I'm his agent no way I'm talking one year or minimum deals. I'd sit and wait before I did that. This is a three time Pro Bowl player with an impressive winning percentage. Not the greatest QB rating or completion percentage, granted, but wouldn't you take him right now, no questions asked, over Stafford or Sanchez?

I predict a decent signing bonus, say 8-9 million, spread over a five or six year contract. Let the catcalls commence.

silky johnson
Jul 27, 2009
08:11 PM

I wanted an actual list of teams that will be a good fit for vick from this article, not more generalizations about conditioning etc. Please, no more vick articles until we actually have more news or at least interesting speculation as to where he may go. Nothing personal, just a misleading title/sub-heading on the piece.

Northwoods Tom
Jul 27, 2009
09:09 PM

Silky-

There isn't a good fit for Vick right now.. what Matt said is exactly right. He isn't even ready to play.

Bill Bates 40
Jul 27, 2009
09:33 PM

I honestly don't think money will be the biggest issue. Everywhere Vick has been, the playbook had to be literally gutted due to the very dim bulb between his ears. His amazing physical gifts were counted on to the make up the difference. As we all saw, that was a mildly successful strategy, but ultimately wasn't going to bring home any trophies. But today, who is going to bring in a player like that (to be a QB) when he is NOT going to be the marquee player around which such an offense will be designed (or dumbed-down)? Yeah, I get the point that any team can just throw him in the pool and not be overly concerned if he sinks, but they're not going to pay much beyond the minimum to do so since he'll be adjusting to the team's system and not the other way around this time. To me, he should go play in the UFL since someone will be dumb enough to pay him $1M for a season, he can get himself back into some kind of playing form against inferior talent, and maybe play well enough against those scrubs to fool an NFL owner into throwing some cash at him next season. But for this season, (not in shape) + (rusty skills) + (missing up to 6 games) + (bad economy) + (fan reaction) = next to no interest.

deljzc
Jul 27, 2009
10:31 PM

I'm upset the suspension wasn't greater. I was hoping for a year, would be disappointed with 8 games, but to be allowed to participate with a team and only be suspended for game days? I assume with pay? Terrible.

I stand by my decision to boycott any game Vick is involved with (no TV, no internet, nothing). And also write letters to the owner of the team that signs him expressing my disappointment. I will boycott the products of any corporations involved with that particular team.

It's all I can do, and it may not make a difference, but I don't ever want to see Michael Vick in the NFL again.

meateater
Jul 27, 2009
10:34 PM

Let's get real. Does anyone thing Vick signs for a one year minimum deal?
Name one team that wouldn't jump at that. You're looking at a decent bonus to sign him. There are five or six temas that have clearly worse QBs starting for htem. They'd be crazy not to max out to sign him. There are any number of other teams with shaky starters who would love to have him as a second option. If he and his agent are smart, they can milk this for a pretty big bonus.


Next 1 - 12 of 22 Prev COMMENTS

Add a Comment

* Required - Keep track of your comments Login or Register with NFP
(will not be published)