Vick to Start Preseason Week 1, Foles Gets the Nod in Week 2

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Somehow this was even more anti-climactic than I was expecting.

The news that Michael Vick will start the Eagles’ first preseason game on Friday would not have meant much, because it wouldn’t necessarily be an indication he was going to start the regular season opener in Washington, or that he even owned a significant lead in the quarterback competition. Chip Kelly really drove that point home by announcing at the exact same time that Nick Foles will start the second preseason game next week.

In other words, don’t read too much into any of this. Chip acknowledged after practice on Wednesday that regardless of who got the first crack at the Patriots, both quarterbacks will have first-team reps, likely alternating series. In fact, supposedly the only reason Vick is getting the nod over Foles in game one is because it happens to land on his day in the rotation of who gets to go first.

I have to believe the head coach on this one. There just isn’t a whole lot of separation between the two passers in practice alone, and he’s reiterated time and time again that preseason games would be an important part of the decision making process.

Even Vick realizes this start is nothing to make a big deal over.

Kelly revealed a few other starters as well at positions where it wasn’t necessarily clear.

Jason Peters will be held out while he heals up his hammy. Allen Barbre gets the start at left tackle in Peters’ place, likely so Todd Herremans and Lane Johnson can get some work in at their projected spots at right guard and tackle respectively.

In the secondary, the starting corners will be Bradley Fletcher and Brandon Boykin, as Cary Williams sits with a balky hamstring as well. And at safety, no real surprise, but Patrick Chung and Nate Allen are running with the first-string D.

Regardless of who is starting where, the excitement level is really on the rise. We’re just a little more than 24 hours away from the first preseason game of the Chip Kelly era. Can’t wait to see what’s going to happen out there tomorrow night.

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