Depth-Starved Eagles Sign Jeff Garcia

With Donovan McNabb's status up in the air thanks to a cracked rib, the Philadelphia Eagles have reportedly reached into their recent past to shore up their quarterback position. The team has signed Jeff Garcia, according to Jason La Canfora of NFL.com and the Philadelphia Daily News.

The move to add a quarterback isn't particularly surprising. The Eagles don't have a third quarterback available for Week Two thanks to Michael Vick's suspension and if McNabb is too hurt to start you'd understandably want to shield him from playing at all. On one hand, Garcia's not a surprising choice since he spent 2006 with the team and knows the offense.

On a couple of other hands, though, the move is awfully intriguing.

The first intrigue is the message, intended or not, that the Eagles are sending about Kevin Kolb. Kolb didn't set the world on fire in relief of McNabb on Sunday nor did he look good when he replaced McNabb against the Ravens in the game that served as a turning point in the Eagles 2008 season.

Given Vick's long layoff, it makes sense that the Eagles wouldn't want to have only one "true" quarterback option if McNabb's injury lingers. Garcia's signing sends a strong impression that they want to have another possible starter on hand, something that doesn't say much for their confidence in Kolb's ability to lead the team.

The second intrigue is the messy way that Garcia's last tenure with the Eagles ended. After Garcia led the Eagles to the playoffs in the wake of a McNabb injury in 2006, there were those who believed that he was a better starting option for the team. The Eagles chose McNabb, obviously, and jettisoned Garcia in favor of keeping A.J. Feeley, who reportedly signed by Carolina on Monday, as his backup. Garcia wasn't happy about that, but apparently didn't burn any bridges with Andy Reid.

If people clamored for him to replace McNabb once, there's nothing to say that it wouldn't happen twice if the chips fell in a similar way as they did in 2006. There's no reason to think that they would, of course, but an already fascinating Eagles quarterbacking situation just became even more interesting. And there are still 15 games to go!

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

9-14-2009 @ 7:05PM

mcjesus666 said...

The Oakland Raiders.......the gift that keeps on giving to Philly, the Patriots, Self Loathing, Incompetence,...........GO AL!!!!

9-15-2009 @ 5:49AM

Hugh said...

Andy Reid is too PIG-HEADED to admit that he made a mistake when he wasted a #1 pick on Kevin Kolb. The fact is, Kolb CAN'T PLAY! All will be revealed this week when Kolb fails to move the offense. He stinks! Garcia will start the second half and maybe, just maybe, the Pig-Headed coach will come to his senses. I doubt it. He's too GD stubborn (or, stupid) for his own good.

9-14-2009 @ 9:40PM

lizz said...

thank god they signed Garcia he's really good

9-14-2009 @ 10:22PM

Wendy said...

I was upset when they let Garcia go. They should have jetisoned McNabb instead then we wouldn't have his BFF Vick. Too bad we've banned all Eagles games because of Vick. I guess I'll see Garcia only on the news sports wrap up.

9-14-2009 @ 10:42PM

ongos4me said...

WOW...THE EAGLES ARE VERY DESPERATE...THEY SHOULD HAVE GONE FOR MICHAEL VICK...OH WAIT...

9-15-2009 @ 1:13AM

Tigre said...

I can't believe he came back. I like McNabb but he hasn't been the same since his first big injury. So I agree with Wendy. They should've got rid of him and kept Garcia. Him and Westbrook was the main reasons why the Eagles made it into the playoffs. If they insist on keeping McNabb then get rid of Vick and a lot of people will be happy.

9-15-2009 @ 4:25AM

hotrodqd said...

mc nabb is always hurt ! but why was he still in the game & running it in the end zone ? up that much ? garcia was good in philly ? if he does well both mc nabb & vick go next year ...and mc nabb will end up eventually beat the eagles in the super bowl one year ....sounds good eh ? lol

9-15-2009 @ 5:51AM

Put down the crack pipe and back away slowly, hotrod...

9-15-2009 @ 6:23AM

cobbie said...

do you people have a clue?????

9-15-2009 @ 7:26AM

bill said...

He'll probably start this week ahead of Kolb. Kolb looked pretty dismal. He's not the answer

9-15-2009 @ 8:11AM

Michael said...

Dmac will be fine in time , Garcia is the perfect backup for now, Kolb is not ready for this level.
thank god we have time before division games start. Dmac will be back and Vick and him can take us to the Big One and WIN!!!! GO EAGLES!!!

9-15-2009 @ 8:42AM

Brad said...

Eagles, are they not the ones that signed Mike Vick, Gee ,make him their starting quater back, and let him use a little poodle instead of a foot ball, and the whole team can go deep. Like who the hell cares about the Eagles they are just another money grubbing non caring team if you want to call them that , that has taken in probably one the most non caring and cruel person on this earth to date. So who the hell cares about them ?? Probably the same type of people that decided that Obama was the man, and now look at us. :-(

9-15-2009 @ 10:47AM

hyson1913 said...

The Eagles get Garcia is a great move.
Now Kobe has to prove he can produce or he will be history.As far for Vick use him as a third string QB,also as wide out or back with options.
But at the end of the season ,trade MCNABB,Vick .
Get a good,starter, back up qb,a real power running back,
Draft a real qb,offensive lineman,rb .This will help in the real rebuild of the Eagles.But only if Reid.
Gets rid of his block headed mine set. IF SO ITS TIME FOR ANDY TO GO.PLEASE WELCOME HOPEFULLY
JON GRUDEN BACK TO THE EAGLES, NEW ERA OF EAGLES FOOTBALL.

9-16-2009 @ 2:31PM

trailofechoes said...

Keep playing Fantasy football if you think you have the panacea for Andy Reid. Just draft 25 super-awesome players that all go to the pro-bowl, dump the best qb to ever be in Philly, dump a coach who took them to 5 NFC Championships and one super-bowl. I like Gruden, but c'mon man. Eagles have been the most successful NFC team the last ten years. We all wish they had the knack to get the big break like that New England team, but they don't. They haven't had to dismantle and rebuild in ten years, do you even understand how much talent that took. Wow, yep guess YOU are the answer.

9-15-2009 @ 11:05AM

max said...

In addition to being a horrible excuse for a human being, Michael Vick is not a quarterback who will ever take a team to the Super Bowl
Donovan McNabb is a class act, perhaps that's one reason why he's never gotten the respect from Eagles fans which he deserves
The Eagles should go with McNabb and Garcia and cut their losses with Vick as soon as possible

9-15-2009 @ 11:06AM

shmtnmusic said...

Holy Cow! The whole Eagles organization must have been drunk from a party when they signed on Kolb. This guy can't throw, can't run, can't think on his feet, can't be a starting quarterback. He can't even say his name right. Cob? Who ever heard of an L being silent. We say "mold" not "mod". Reid's biggest blunder of all time. Eagles loose big time against NO if "Kob" starts.
I am tired of Reid and Mc "throw in the dirt, behind the receiver, above his arms" Nabb

9-15-2009 @ 9:47PM

castcutters said...

Ho hum! Another typical Eagles season. McNabb hurt again??!! What's new!!?? Michael Vick?? Another Andy Reid disaster, Kevin Kolb another Andy Reid disaster. Trade Brian Dawkins? Another Andy Reid disaster. Andy Reid and his his life? another disaster. Jeff Garcia? A good guy , good Q back who may be too late to matter.

9-15-2009 @ 9:53PM

Dump Andy Reid and get Bill Cowart. Now there's a coach. Hyson are you kidding? Chuckie's not a coach!! Philly will eat him alive.

9-15-2009 @ 9:56PM

You want to know how Andy Reid manages his team? Look how he manages his family.