The NFL quarterback carousel will see plenty of new faces this week.
With injuries abound, several new starters will be under center on Sunday, highlighted by Eagles backup quarterback Nick Foles, who will fill in following Michael Vick suffering a hamstring injury in Sunday’s win over the Giants.
Eagles coach Chip Kelly said Vick is day-to-day, but it is believed that Vick, who has a lengthy injury history, could miss more than one game.
On Monday, Kelly said that Foles, a third-round pick in 2012, could replace Vick as the permanent starter if he excels in the uptempo offense, even though the 33-year-old won the competition in training camp.
Vick was first named the Eagles’ starter in 2010, following an injury to Kevin Kolb.
“If he plays well? Yeah,” Kelly said. “There is always open competition. If Nick goes out there and goes 100-for-100 [passing] and throws 27 touchdown passes. Yeah. … If someone comes in and puts in an unbelievable performance you have to take it all into account.”
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The Josh Freeman saga finally ended in Tampa, with his release on Thursday, and a new chapter begins with his Sunday night signing with Minnesota.
Freeman’s one-year contract with the Vikings is worth $3 million. Though Freeman may soon be named the starter, coach Leslie Frazier said that either Christian Ponder or Matt Cassel would start against the Panthers on Sunday.
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Texans coach Gary Kubiak gave a lukewarm endorsement of longtime starter Matt Schaub following the quarterback’s three-interception performance against the 49ers on Sunday night.
“He is,” Kubiak told the Houston Chronicle when asked if Schaub remains Houston’s starter, “but I’m evaluating everything to see what gives us best chance to win.”
Schaub has thrown a pick-six in an NFL-record four straight games and has eight touchdowns and nine interceptions this season. His QB rating of 76.9 ranks 25th in the NFL.
Backup T.J. Yates started five games as a rookie in 2011, throwing for three touchdowns and three interceptions, while completing 61.2 percent of his passes.
“I’m trying to help (Schaub) push him through it so our team can push through it,” Kubiak said. “We’re all disappointed because we’re having to overcome too much.”
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Which city will Matt Flynn underwhelm next? The Raiders released Flynn on Monday after obtaining the quarterback from the Seahawks for a fifth-round pick in the spring.
The 28-year-old was beat out for the starting job by Terrelle Pryor in training camp, just as he was beat by Russell Wilson in Seattle the year before. Between Oakland and Seattle, Flynn made a total of $14.5 million for one start — a 24-14 loss last week to the Redskins.
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NFL.com is reporting that Jaguars quarterback Blaine Gabbert “heard his hamstring pop” in Sunday’s loss to the Rams , and could be sidelined an “extended period of time.”
Backup Chad Henne, who has had much greater success moving the team’s abysmal offense, will take over as starter.
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Brandon Weeden will start for the Browns this Sunday against the Lions, as expected, with Brian Hoyer out for the year with a knee injury.