Everyone seems so convinced Chip Kelly is going to run the exact same offense he used in College with the Philadelphia Eagles as well, but that just doesn’t make any sense. In the NFL, he’ll have to adjust, a little bit at least. That’s why taking Matt Barkley in the NFL Draft isn’t such a huge surprise, even if he doesn’t fit the mold of the quarterback people think Kelly wants to have.
Because the number one thing a quarterback needs is throwing ability, and Barkley is certainly someone who can do that. He can’t run or create a lot outside the pocket, very similar to Nick Foles, but Barkley, with one less year of experience than Foles (also from the Pac-12), is probably the more accurate thrower, which Kelly has seen in person more than once.
Yes, Michael Vick is still the number one starter if you’d have to pick right now. With all of his faults, given the right system and protection, he’s still an exciting player who’s very hard to stop. He can throw, he can run and he can take a hit. Too many hits, if you ask most people. And there’s Dennis Dixon, who hasn’t really made it in the NFL, but Kelly knows him, Dixon knows Kelly’s offense.
Some thing the Eagles are still hanging on to Foles, and drafted Barkley as well, as trading chips, although there wasn’t much interest in Foles before the draft, and with Barkley falling to the fourth round, there isn’t too much of an interest in him as well. A more logical guess would be Kelly believing he can change his offense enough to make Barkley a vital part of it in the near future, but probably not right away.
Everything we do, our quarterback has to be able to throw. If the fact that they have the ability to run, I believe that’s an added bonus. In this league, you got to be able to throw the football. That’s the first skill set we’re looking for. Repetitive accuracy is the No. 1 quality we’re looking for in a quarterback.