It appears Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Kevin Kolb's time to be a definitive starter in the NFL has finally come.
Well, as soon as the lockout ends anyways.
According to Kolb, he has told reporters he received a text message from Andy Reid stating, "I'll do what's best for you" upon the start of free agency.
If Reid's message is any indication, it means that Kolb is on a one-way ticket out of the City of Brotherly Love—since Kolb has expressed his desire to be a starter in the NFL next season.
"It's a big deal to me," Kolb said. "That's the next step for me. That's what I look forward to doing."
Reid has stated his desire to keep the 26-year-old passer on the depth chart, but as a former quarterback coach, he understands the ambition to be the franchise quarterback everyone thinks he could be.
With Michael Vick and Mike Kafka on the roster, the Eagles know that he is expendable and they also know they can get a king's ransom for him in a trade. For a while now, Reid has been uncertain about trading their prized backup, but with one-year left on his contract, now is the time.
Earlier this month, Reid speculated on where Kolb's possible destination could be in 2011.
"You have an idea of who's interested in quarterbacks, but you couldn't do any deals then [before free agency.] You never got to that point where it's real serious; it was too far in advance," Reid said, according to the Philadelphia Daily News. "And you can't talk at all now. So, if he ends up going somewhere, more power to him, he deserves that opportunity. But I also like him here."
If the Eagles coach really means what he told Kolb, the trade winds will be blowing in Philadelphia soon enough. And if ESPN news guru Adam Schefter is on the money as usual, Kolb just may turn up in the desert soon enough.
"The market for Kolb will be similar to what it was before, minus the San Francisco 49ers and Cincinnati Bengals," said Schefter. "I still think the Seattle Seahawks will have some interest. And still think the Arizona Cardinals are the overwhelming favorites to land his services."
Kolb fans will need to be patient during this lockout, whether he winds up playing at Lincoln Financial Field, the University of Phoenix Stadium, or one of a half dozen other places—if Reid's message meant anything, it's that Kolb will be given his best chance to start in 2011.
