To Jet or not to Jet? For Michael Vick, that is the question.
NJ.com posted a tweet originating from Kim Jones Sports that negotiations between the New York Jets and free agent quarterback Michael Vick have come to a standstill because Vick still wants to be a starter and the Jets seem set with Geno Smith as their starter and would want Vick in a mentor role.
That report flies in the face of an earlier Black Sports Online report posting tweets from Bleacher Report's Mike Freeman saying that Vick was telling his former teammates in Philadelphia that he thinks his most likely destination is the New York Jets.
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What changed from one report to the next? Did Vick think he had a shot at the starting job in New York, or did the Jets lead him on originally?
Smith struggled during his rookie season with the Jets, throwing for 3,046 yards with 12 touchdowns and 21 interceptions. Those numbers may have led Vick to believe he had a chance of supplanting Smith.
But Vick must have had at least a suspicion that the Jets coveted his services because his skill set is an ideal match for Smith. Otherwise, the Jets might as well keep Mark Sanchez around.
It's difficult to believe the Jets would not have been straight with Vick from the start - that unless Vick, who will be 34 next season, clearly outplays Smith in training camp, he would likely serve as Smith's backup.
Vick has had injury problems of late. A hamstring injury forced him out during midseason for the Philadelphia Eagles last year, and Nick Foles seized the starting job. Vick played in only 10 games in 2012 and 13 games in 2011.
The Jets would be hard-pressed to take a chance on starting Vick and ruining Smith's confidence, and then have Vick suffer another injury, unless they thought he could be their starting quarterback for the next few years.
The Oakland Raiders and Buffalo Bills remain in the hunt for Vick's services, another tweet from NFL Around the League stated in the nj.com report.
Neither team figures to be a playoff contender in 2014, which diminishes Vick's chances of signing with either. The Jets are much closer, and if Vick can separate himself in camp, his chances of starting would improve.
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