After practice finished on Monday and Sam Bradford and Mark Sanchez retreated to the Eagles’ locker room, Matt Barkley and Tim Tebow remained on the field for a few minutes of extra work.
Barkley and Tebow, in competition for the No. 3 job, must prepare for the final preseason game on Thursday. It will be a “big week” for those playing in the game against the New York Jets, coach Chip Kelly said. The game could determine which quarterback makes the roster.
What might be the most scrutinized No. 3 quarterback competition in the NFL is facing its expiration date. The team must cut the roster to 53 players by Saturday, and Thursday is the last chance for Barkley and Tebow to show who should join Bradford and Sanchez in the quarterbacks’ meeting room this autumn.
Barkley said he would start on Thursday. Tebow also should get a good chunk of work. In the final preseason game last season, Kelly sidelined both Nick Foles and Sanchez. The coach is expected to sit his top two quarterbacks this week, too.
“I’ll be excited — first start,” Barkley said. “Excited to get in a rhythm early on, get my feet going, get the ball moving. … I don’t feel any pressure at all. I don’t think it’s anything but just an exciting opportunity. I’ve been in this place to impress.”
Barkley said the game is different for a quarterback when he starts. In the final preseason game last summer, Barkley went 21 of 33 for 253 yards, one touchdown and an interception against the Jets. He said the Eagles’ system is “second nature” at this point.
But this game offers more competition for Barkley than in the previous two seasons, when he entered the fourth preseason game almost locked into the third spot.
That’s because Tebow has clearly intrigued Kelly, who gave him an opportunity after nearly two years away from the NFL. And considering the value that Kelly places on versatility, Tebow could offer more utility out of a roster spot than Barkley.
Kelly has made it clear that the players will be evaluated as quarterbacks, which makes passing a premium skill. Barkley has been the better passer during practices, although neither player has distanced himself in games. Barkley is 23 of 43 for 306 yards and one interception. Tebow is 10 of 19 for 97 yards, with 50 rushing yards and one touchdown.
Barkley has taken more snaps and played with the offense ahead of Tebow in each game, although Tebow quarterbacked two-point conversion attempts with the first-team offense last week. Both attempts failed.
Barkley arrived in Philadelphia in 2013 still recovering from a shoulder injury that slowed him as a rookie. After two seasons on the team, the health and scheme adjustments are no longer questions.
“Personally, I do feel improved in a lot of different areas,” Barkley said. “My arm strength, I’m not even thinking about throwing the ball, whereas in [past] years, because of that injury, I was adjusting in certain areas. In the offense, I either wasn’t comfortable with it or I was trying to understand certain concepts.”
Three teams gave up on Tebow because of his throwing mechanics and decision making. He could not find a job. Kelly said Tebow has improved his throwing motion since coming to Philadelphia, which has improved his accuracy.
“I’m improved in my overall mechanics — from my footwork to my throwing to throwing accuracy, timing, all those things,” Tebow said.
The stage will not too big for either player. Both were popular college players who have been in high-pressure situations. This one just happens to be for employment.
The decision could come down to what Kelly wants from that role — a more natural passer who knows the offense or a more versatile player.
There’s also the possibility the Eagles keep only two quarterbacks, as some other teams do, although Kelly has gone with three in both of his first two seasons. They could sign or trade for someone else who does not make a roster elsewhere, too.
But the competition is now between Barkley and Tebow, and only one is likely to be on the active roster by this time next week. Tebow said that Barkley is a “great friend.”
“You’re competing for something, but at the same time, you want to do it the right way,” Tebow said. “You want to treat others the way you want to be treated the entire time — no matter what’s on the line, no matter what’s it stake. Because opportunities and positions are never more important than character.”
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