PHILADELPHIA — The Eagles continued to add to their stable of quarterbacks and further hinted at the way they might play under coach Chip Kelly when the team signed Dennis Dixon to a two-year contract Thursday. PHILADELPHIA — The Eagles
PHILADELPHIA — The Eagles continued to add to their stable of quarterbacks and further hinted at the way they might play under coach Chip Kelly when the team signed Dennis Dixon to a two-year contract Thursday.
Dixon, a practice squad quarterback with the Baltimore Ravens this season, excelled in college at Oregon when Kelly was his offensive coordinator. The 28-year old quarterback was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2008 and started three games.
“We are excited to bring in Dennis Dixon to compete at the quarterback position,” general manager Howie Roseman said in a statement. “Dennis is a veteran in this league that has been a part of two Super Bowl-winning teams in his career. He’s also very familiar with Chip Kelly and how he operates.”
The key word is “compete because Dixon does not figure to be a favorite to win a starting job over Michael Vick or Nick Foles. In fact, Dixon’s first task will be simply making the roster. NFL rosters expand to 90 players during the offseason, so it is common for a team to make these kind of moves. However, Dixon’s position and his connection to Kelly make this more than a run-of-the-mill February signing.
Dixon threw for 2,136 yards and rushed for 583 during his senior season at Oregon — his lone season under Kelly. He rushed for 1,208 yards in his career with the Ducks.
That background in Kelly’s system and the professional experience help Dixon’s case, but no NFL team was compelled to put him on an active roster after the Steelers let him go in 2011. Dixon, who is listed at 6-foot-3 and 209 pounds, suffered knee injuries in 2010 with the Steelers and in 2007 at Oregon.
In his Steelers career, he completed 35 of 49 passes for 402 yards and one touchdown. He rushed 10 times for 56 yards and a TD.
