AP

A day after Eagles coach Chip Kelly said he’s not thinking about who will be the team’s quarterback next year, the guy who signs the checks said he is.

“We need someone to step up, whether it’s an existing young quarterback or somebody we go out and acquire,” Jeffrey Lurie told Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com. “We know — this is no secret — quarterback is the [ultimate] position and the most important difference-maker.”

The clear import of Lurie’s remarks? The not young quarterback on the roster, Mike Vick, won’t be back.

“We want to have very healthy, high ability at that position, with excellent leadership and a lot of smarts and a lot of moxie. Someone that really can take that position and run with it,” Lurie said.

Again, not Mike Vick.

Lurie also suggested the Foles will have an extended chance to show that he can be the guy.

“And so Nick is going to have a great opportunity to showcase what he’s done. He’s had some outstanding games and he’s had one poor game,” Lurie said. “Time will tell. I think it’s really wide open for those that are on the team and it’s wide open for what our strategy might be if we don’t have it. But it’s a No. 1 priority. We’ve got to solidify that position in a really good way.”

In that last part, Lurie necessarily opened the door for every quarterback currently on the roster, including Vick. But the balance of Lurie’s comments made clear that Vick won’t return for sixth season with the team — and that the Eagles will be looking, presumably in the draft, for the next Donovan McNabb.

At 3-5 and fading fast, they may be in a prime position to find him.