Is Andy Reid Really Great At Developing Quarterbacks?

Unless this season ends with a parade down Broad Street, at some point Andy Reid and Jeffery Lurie will sit down and discuss the future.

It could be a quick conversation with Reid being shown the door. But given the relationship the two men have, Lurie could allow Reid to make his case to return as the head coach for a 15th season.

What would Reid say? Assuming Reid wants to return, he will try to convince Lurie that he is the man to develop Nick Foles for the future. At which point Lurie will have to ask himself- is that true?

If he looks back at Reid's time in Philadelphia, the answer he will likely come to is a resounding no.

Reid may have come from Green Bay with the reputation of being great with young quarterbacks, but other than Donovan McNabb, Reid does not have a great track record in Philadelphia of grooming young quarterbacks into winners.

The best example might be the one quarterback who could still save Reid's job right now- Michael Vick.

When Vick burst onto the scene in 2010, praise was thrown at Reid and Marty Morhinweg for doing what no one else could- turning Vick into a true pocket passer while also allowing him to use his legs. It was maybe the ultimate feather in Reid's cap. But as Vick continues to play, you have to wonder how much Reid really changed Vick.

Is Vick a better quarterback than he was in Atlanta? Yes. Is he considerably better? The answer to that is probably no. Last season Vick threw 14 interceptions, more than he ever did during his time in Atlanta. His average completion percentage over the course of last season and 6 games into this one is roughly 58%. His average completion percentage while in Atlanta? 51%. That is better, but is it really a big enough difference to say Reid changed Vick

In Atlanta, Vick was a danger with his legs and had a cannon for an arm. He made big plays but also plays that made you scratch your head. He had game winning drives, but also cost his team games with turnovers. He was a Pro-Bowler and considered one of the best, even though he probably was not.

Sound familiar?

Vick still doesn't slide, still fumbles the ball, still throws interceptions and still makes bad decisions. Vick won playing the style he did in Atlanta, and if the Eagles turn this season around, Vick will win with that same style. A win is a win, and how Vick gets it doesn't matter. But to say Reid really changed Vick is becoming less and less true.

Other quarterbacks Reid is thought to have "developed" are also not panning out like most would have hoped. A.J. Feely didn't do anything once he was traded. Kevin Kolb was hot to start the season, but he still has not been the player many thought Reid coached him to be. It's hard to come up with a quarterback you could really say Reid groomed to success since he arrived in Philadelphia.

Reid might be good at constructing game plans to use young quarterbacks, but that is different from developing them. If Reid goes to Foles at some point this season, he will no doubt also have a new game plan that is more balanced to help Foles out. For his first few starts that will help, but Reid has shown he will go right back to his pass happy ways.

Again, of the 4 quarterbacks Reid has been credited with "developing", only 1 has really panned out (McNabb). Is that a good enough track record to convince Lurie to keep Reid on to develop Foles?

That's a tough case for Reid to make.

Follow Eliot Shorr-Parks on Twitter at @EliotShorrParks