Eagles need an elite quarterback

All the talk is about Andy Reid being kicked off the island. But what about the most important position on the team: quarterback?

CSN Philly's Reuben Frank says there's no way around it: The Eagles need an elite quarterback, and until they get one, they won't do much winning.

Simply that regardless of whoever winds up coaching the Eagles over the next few years - whether it's Dirk Koetter or David Shaw or Chip Kelly or Brian Kelly or Vic Fangio - it won't matter if he doesn't have an elite quarterback behind center.

The Colts were 2-14 last year with Curtis Painter, Dan Orlovsky and Kerry Collins. With virtually the same team and Andrew Luck at QB, they're 6-4.

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Bill Belichick was a buffoon in Cleveland when his QB was Vinny Testaverde. Give him Tom Brady and he's maybe the best ever.

Heck, the Eagles had five playoff wins in the 40 years before McNabb took over. McNabb then won nine in the next nine years.

Since he left? Yeah, nothing.

In Michael Vick's four seasons with the Eagles, he's 18-15 in 34 games started. He's completed 60 percent of his passes for 8,572 yards and 51 touchdowns. He's thrown 29 interceptions.

On top of it all, Vick can't stay healthy. He started 13 games last season for the Eagles, which is his highest total with Philadelphia. Even this season, he's had trouble. He started the first nine games of the season but missed last week because of a concussion.

While Frank said the Eagles need to find a quarterback, he admitted the options are slim. They could try to go forward with rookie Nick Foles, but he'd be a work-in-progress. The free-agent class includes names like Jason Campbell and Matt Moore and maybe even Joe Flacco, but none of those quarterbacks are considered "elite."

Frank even thinks the Eagles will miss out on quarterbacks Matt Barkley and Geno Smith in the draft.