Twitter Mailbag: Is There A Lack Of Unity Under Chip Kelly?

Every Thursday we select a few of your Twitter questions and provide the long-form answers they deserve. For a chance to have your question published on Birds 24/7, send it to @Tim_McManus.

From @Mikeaka: With the recent comments by Jackson & tweets by Weaver, do you give any credence to the notion of a lack of unity on the team?

I don’t.

I recently wrote about the difficulty of holding a quarterback competition that involves Michael Vick. When you have a player that answers questions candidly based off his emotions in the moment, there are going to be some quotes that open the door to a QB controversy. We are already seeing evidence of that. DeSean Jackson caught wind of Vick’s comments about wanting to have a starter named before training camp and echoed the sentiment on national television. If Vick wasn’t so honest, he never makes the comments in the first place. Then Jackson has nothing to react to. Instead, there is now a perception that some veterans are trying to force Chip Kelly‘s hand and are not buying into the program.

I believe most of the players recognize that the QB race is way too close to call right now, and that it would be premature to name a starter before Vick and Nick Foles have a chance to compete in training camp and in preseason games.

Those that feel differently really have no choice but to accept Kelly’s decision. Vick is on a one-year deal and Jackson is in a virtual contract year, as we have explained before. It makes no sense for either of them — or any player on the team for that matter — to show defiance. This is a new coach with new methods, and he will keep around only those that buy in.

Despite the recent comments, the sense internally is that the vets are on board.

From @seaneham73: my kid wants to know who the fastest player on the Eagles is??????

Are you sure they’re not just setting you up for a Jason Peters joke?

Vick was asked if he was the fastest player on the team the other day and he said no, but that he was in the top 5. Tell the kids I would put my money on Jackson. After that, tough to say. Maybe Damaris Johnson,  Bryce Brown and Brandon Boykin would round out the top 5 with Vick and Jackson. (Am I missing anyone?)

From @dwr8810: Is there anything in Vick’s contract that if he’s named starter he gets $ added to it?

Not exactly, but there is language in the contract that gives him money based on playing time. PFT has the breakdown.

He gets $31,250 for each game he’s on the 53-man roster.  Vick gets another $1.5 million if he participates in 90 percent of the offensive snaps, and $1 million if the Eagles win the Super Bowl (and if he plays in it).

The play-time incentive has lower levels, with $1.2 available if he participates in 80 percent of the snaps, $900,000 if Vick participates in 70 percent of the snaps, $700,000 for 60 percent of the snaps, and $500,000 for 50 percent.

Vick received a $3.5 million signing bonus and his base salary for 2013 is an additional $3.5. He can make a total of $10 million if he hits all of the incentives.

From @James_Fayleez: When will the #Eagles name a starting QB? (trying to plan my vacation)

Based on his experience at Oregon, Dennis Dixon thinks we’ll go the whole summer without an answer.

“A couple days before [the first game],” said Dixon. “That’s what Chip Kelly is. Throughout training camp, throughout everything, throughout preseason games, you won’t know until September 9 comes.”

Vacation away.

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