Improved arm strength helping Kafka in QB battle

One promising observation from Eagles OTAs this week: Mike Kafka's passes appear to have a little more zip.

"I feel like I've definitely gotten my arm a little stronger over the off-season," Kafka said Thursday after practice.

"It was training in the off-season. I trained in Arizona a little bit, trained here for the last three or four weeks. The whole ride so far has been leading up to this. Not just for this but also for the season."

It's been leading up to the competition to be the Eagles' No. 2 quarterback. If there's one standout position battle on offense, that's it. Vince Young's departure has left Kafka, veteran Trent Edwards and third-round pick Nick Foles to compete for the job.

Right now, it belongs to Kafka, a third-year pro who by working with the second team is taking more reps than either Edwards or Foles.

"It's great. As many reps as I can get, the better. It's all about just getting that experience," Kafka said. "Improving, making some mistakes -- that's going to happen -- but learning from them and moving forward."

Selected by the Eagles in the fourth round of the 2010 draft, Kafka didn't attempt a pass as a rookie. He saw limited but significant playing time last season, completing 11 of 16 passes for 107 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions in four games.

The highlight: a 7-for-9 for 72 yards performance in the second half against the Falcons in which he completed a pretty 43-yard pass and nearly led the Eagles on a game-winning drive (sorry Jeremy Maclin).

The lowlight: The following week against the Giants he went 4-for-7 passing for 35 yards and was picked twice.

"There were definitely some things we could have done better, some things I could have definitely done better," Kafka said. "Obviously when you get put in that situation, you need to pull forward and win the game or take that drive down the field and score. So those are a few things I look back on and go, Dang, I wish I would have taken them down and scored. They're great experiences to learn from and use them for the future."

That experience is more important than a strong arm. Mental strength also adds mph to a pass.

"Once you get more comfortable with it, you're able to throw on time, in rhythm, and you also know the receivers that are out there a little bit better, so you're able to mesh a little better," said Kafka, who acknowledged that the arm strength is required to run this offense in its entirety.

"Obviously when you get a big shot to hit a big play down the field, you need the arm strength to do it," he said, "and with our offense, we like taking shots down the field. So it's an important part of our offense, and I need to make sure I can do everything."

Although the Eagles have had only three days of OTAs -- they resume Tuesday -- Reid has noticed a difference in Kafka.

I think he has a better feel of the overall offense," Reid said. "Hes been up here every day working, so it just getting where people are placed and the timing down with different receivers. Id tell you that with pretty much all the quarterbacks. Weve got a wide variety of receivers out here, and obviously were a timing and throwing offense. Its just a matter of getting his timing down.

As for Kafka's competition, Reid seems impressed by Foles, who on Thursday completed a nice 35-yard pass down the sideline to rookie receiver Damaris Johnson.

Hes completing balls and his completion percentage is way up there," Reid said of Foles. "Hes doing a good job with that and knowing the limited amount that he knows right now. Hes a smart kid and were throwing a ton at him right now. We really like his attitude.

The 29-year-old Edwards, a fifth-year veteran, is still working on the offense and his arm. His passes haven't been nearly as crisp as Kafka's and Foles'.

"Hes a veteran player and hes been through it before. Every day he gets a little bit better and more comfortable," Reid said.

His arm strength is not there yet but it will be. Hell get there as we go.

E-mail Andy Schwartz at aschwartz@comcastsportsnet.com.