Eagles show support for Nick Foles

INDIANAPOLIS - Whether it was a sign of genuine enthusiasm or an effort to raise the asking price, Eagles coach Chip Kelly and general manager Howie Roseman were adamant in their support of quarterback Nick Foles on Thursday at the NFL scouting combine.

Foles' future in Philadelphia has come into question since Kelly was hired because of Kelly's recent history with mobile quarterbacks. It appeared even more questionable when the Eagles renegotiated a deal with Michael Vick, who will be 33 next season, and added Dennis Dixon, another mobile threat.

But Kelly continues to insist that he wants to work with Foles, the drop-back quarterback who is entering his second NFL season.

"I want to coach Nick and I want to get a chance to spend time with him and see him," Kelly said. "I've said it before, I was a big fan of his - the way he plays the game, his toughness, his ability to throw the ball very accurate. So hopefully I get a chance to get him out on the practice field and we can see what Nick has."

Foles' name has been linked in trade rumors, specifically with the Kansas City Chiefs, who are now coached by Andy Reid. Kelly said there have not been any internal discussions about trading Foles, nor is there a specific asking price such as a high draft pick.

"He's not available," Reid said. "Listen, Nick is the property of the Philadelphia Eagles, and I think they like him."

When Reid was reminded that he drafted Foles, he added that Roseman also drafted Foles and that Roseman "still likes him."

"He's a young, talented player who didn't even have a chance to play with all our frontline guys, our skill-position players," Roseman said. "We just drafted him last year."

However, the Eagles drafted Foles to play a different system for a different coaching staff. Kelly continued to insist that he must adapt a system to the quarterback.

"I don't think it's revamp the system where you throw the offense out," Kelly said. "But obviously, one player throws certain routes better than another player. One person does a better job at checking certain reads at the line of scrimmage."

Both Roseman and Kelly were noncommittal about how the quarterbacks will look. Kelly said he needs a chance to work with the passers. Dixon is the only one he has coached, and that was in 2007. He met with Vick, saw Foles play in college, and had an introductory phone call with Trent Edwards.

"I can't tell you what the future is going to be and who it's going to be," Kelly said. "A lot of that has to do with who is on the practice field."

The Eagles insist there will be competition at quarterback, despite Vick's age and Foles' seeming to be unfit for Kelly's scheme. Kelly would not dismiss the idea of Dixon's winning the job, even though the journeyman was not on an active roster last season and seems an unlikely possibility.

"With the amount of reps we get in practice, everybody's going to get a chance at throwing the football around," Kelly said. "The best players are going to play."

Roseman did not rule out adding another quarterback, noting the position's importance. That could also depend on how many of the current group of quarterbacks make it to training camp. But the Eagles made sure it sounded as if they were not planning to trade Foles.

"We're trying to accumulate good players," Roseman said. "We're not in the business of getting rid of our good, young players."