Mark Sanchez's comeback tour got off to a solid start on Monday night after the quarterback led the Philadelphia Eagles to a big win over the Carolina Panthers, securing their lead in the NFC East. The quarterback looked strong in his first start since December of 2012 and aims to keep up the momentum in the following weeks as he fills in for Nick Foles. If Sanchez can keep playing well, what does his future look like next season?
Sanchez signed on with the Philadelphia Eagles in hopes of rebuilding his reputation as a starting quarterback after two disastrous seasons with the New York Jets. After an injury to Foles, Sanchez was forced back into the spotlight, but performed much better than he had in his last two seasons with the Jets.
"After playing for a while, you learn a lot," Sanchez said, via the Philadelphia Daily News. "Made a lot of mistakes. Played a lot of games where I'm throwing interceptions and hurting the team. The most important thing I've learned is to take care of the ball, communicate really well and establish our tempo. If we can do those things we will be generally successful."
If Sanchez keeps the Eagles winning and competitive, he could remain the starter for the remainder of the season which only adds another twist in the saga of his future. While head coach Chip Kelly has had nothing but positive things to say about Sanchez, NJ.com is reporting the Eagles are still fully invested in the future of Foles. With Matt Barkley also on the roster, Sanchez is the player most likely out in 2015. So where does the quarterback go?
Any idea that Sanchez heads back to the New York Jets is laughable. Yes, the Jets are in need of quarterback help, but it will not come from Sanchez. However, there are several other teams that could show plenty of interest, the first being the Oakland Raiders.
Oakland is fairly certain that Derek Carr is their quarterback for the future, but while they sit winless on the season, the idea of bringing in someone like Sanchez for a year or two might be enticing. The Raiders continue to praise the future of Carr, but it is clear they might need to let the rookie develop for a season or two before he returns to the field. Oakland has several roster holes to fill, so drafting another quarterback is a bad idea, but signing Sanchez could be the right move.
The Miami Dolphins will be taking a hard look at the future of Ryan Tannehill as the quarterback continues to struggle despite several good offensive weapons around him. A revamped offensive line is a priority for Miami, so signing Sanchez would allow the team to save their draft picks. The Buffalo Bills or Houston Texans could also be in play for the quarterback come 2015.
