The Eagles are expected to place the franchise tag on backup quarterback Nick Foles, ESPN’s Adam Schefter writes. That doesn’t make the Super Bowl champion any more likely to return to the team, however, as Philadelphia will seek a third-round pick for his services in a trade. 
Before that tag is used, the Eagles are expected to pick up Foles’ $20MM option next week. The quarterback then will have the opportunity to void the option by paying the team $2MM, which he is expected to do. The Eagles would then be expected to place the tag on Foles, allowing them to trade him to another team.
The long chain of events will culminate with the Super Bowl MVP more than likely suiting up for another team in 2019, assuming the Eagles can find a suitor willing to pay up for Foles. Several teams are expected to be interested in the six-year veteran, including the Jaguars, Redskins and Dolphins. With the process of events, Foles will likely have his choice on his landing spot.
Foles burst on the scene late in 2017, filling in for an injured Carson Wentz and powering the Eagles to a Super Bowl win over the Patriots, the team’s first-ever Super Bowl title. He followed up that performance by again taking the reins from a sidelined Wentz and propelling the Eagles to an improbable run to the postseason and a spot in the divisional round after knocking off the Bears in the wild-card round.
3rd?! Seriously? I’d have thought at least a 2nd.
Who would throw them a 2nd though? Any team that would need Foles is too high in the draft for a 2nd. I think a 3rd might be too high honestly
Well Thats stupid to think. They would be getting a third just to let him walk. So there would be 0% chance at a third being to high.
except that 3rd would be next year and at the end of the round. if they can trade with say Jags this year they’ll get one in the low 70s as opposed to the high 90s
No, he’s saying a third is way too high for another team to give up for Foles. I agree with him.
Eagles want to control where Foles ends up – e.g. not letting Foles go to the Redskins… at least for cheap.
Not the Jaguars
Yeah I thought the eagles would at least want a player and a second! A third? Plenty of teams maybe calling only having to give up a third
They basically get a 3rd if he leaves as a free agent
They won’t get better than that in any trade which is why they should just let him take the free agent path. There just seems to be a front office conflict regarding what do with Foles. One minute they are offering a “good will” bonus the next they are trying to block him from the FA market.
And every minute it’s merely speculation and rumors…when somebody from the front office goes on record with their plans then I’ll believe it. Knowing their relationship history I’m sure whatever they decide doing will be choreographed and mutually beneficial.
I favor the Eagles letting Foles test the FA market to maintain that good relationship you mention. You never know when you might need to call on the services of a former player in the future.
Even if he walks they get a compensation 3rd, so any deal would obviously have to be better. I think they can score a 2nd for him now, but even if they don’t they’re in an ok spot with the 3rd next year.
I still believe they can get a 2nd rounder, but considering they get a 3rd next year just for letting him cash in elsewhere it’s a no-lose proposition.
Micah, how much is the franchise tag worth for a QB.
Foles has to pay back 2 million but will his new team be paying him more because of the tag?
I guess the new team has to offer the tag salary?
Yes, I want to know that too. A franchise tag would be top 5 QBs average salary right? That’s a ton of money for a team to trade for and pay Foles. Why would any team do that?
What am I missing here people?
Tag is just a placeholder. He can agree to a contract and the tag wouldn’t be attached to his contract.
But why would a team do this? There’s only a handful of teams out there who would and they all saw the mistake Denver made with Keenum. Philly needs to hang on to Foles or take the comp 3rd
Last year the QB tag was about $23.2M. Can’t find the 2019 values yet, but it will be north of that.
Philly is pathetic to give up on him for a QB who has never won a meaningful game at the NFL level like foles. Philly has heavily underpaid him for what he’s done stop being a horrible franchise that got lucky and let him do his own thing.
Wentz is better than Foles! That’s just a flat out fact!
Go back to the 2017 and tell me that Wentz did not win meaningful games to get to 12-2.
You’re a dope
This comment is so stupid on so many levels. Foles was paid very well for a backup QB, which is what he was hired to do. The Eagles actually gave him MORE money after he won the SB, which they didn’t have to do. They also gave him a bonus even though he just missed the agreed upon terms. Foles loves the organization and the city, which is part of the reason he decided to play in Philly rather than retire.
As for being lucky, the Eagles dominated throughout the playoffs. As for being a horrible franchise, how many others have as many playoff appearances this century as the Eagles?
As for him doing his own thing, all he wants is to be a starting QB. Any team that trades for him will make him the starter and pay him $25mill or more per year. Please explain why I should feel bad for a guy in that position.
playing football with a bad back isn’t the greatest career choice – eagles mngt thinking?
If he gets traded I think it’s to the Jags, the other teams I see having interest Philly wouldn’t trade to (Redskins and Giants) or have their eye on Lock for some reason (Broncos) I could actually see the Bills trying to swing a trade for him if they feel Allen is still too raw.
Jags won’t be trading a 2nd or 3rd pick for a stop gap QB when they could just as easily draft for a long term solution. The Bills problem is no offensive line and trading for Foles would not solve that.
Jags are trying to win now and it’s a weak QB draft
Not sure jags are trying to win now, when there’s all kinds of rumors of them trading their two best players (Fournette and Ramsey)
Not to mention that the addition of Foles is not going to transform the Jags overnight from a 5 win team to a 10 win team. If he were that much of a game changer it would be Wentz the Eagles would be parting with.
You could make the case that Foles is more valuable to the Eagles than Wentz is. Foles has taken them to the playoffs two years in a row, won the SB (still makes me vomit) and got them into the playoffs this year.
Wentz needs to finish a season first.
Honestly, from the business side of it, I’d trade Wentz for draft capital. Philly would rake in a large amount including picks in this years draft and next year – w/ a choice of who to take for a future QB.
You can’t say he doesn’t stay healthy and then follow it up with a claim they could get a Kings ransom in trade. You buy low and sell high, they bought Foles and gave up a ton to get Wentz. When healthy he’s the franchise and MVP caliber and could also lead that franchise for many years. Thank you Nick Foles for picking up the pieces after Carson got hurt, but Wentz is who they need to bank on.
Why would philly do him like that? He got you a super bowl. Let him pick where he wants to go and take the comp pick. Smudge
It’s called a business
As soon as he puts on another uniform, he’s gonna be trying to kick their ###. They owed him the salary he signed for. Nothing more.
All he wants to do is go to a place that will let him be the starting QB.
So, basically, he’ll be one of only 32 starting NFL QBs, he’ll be making around $25mill/yr, and yet somehow you think the Eagles are screwing him. I’d like to be screwed like that.
Hate the mf eagles
And the mf eagles fans hate you…
I wouldn’t be surprised if the Eagles get stuck with Foles if the franchise is $20 mil. The only team I can see taking that waiver in trade is Jacksonville.
Seems as though the Eagles are putting their money against the draft. Foles can shine but he doesn’t have a consistent record.
From an article over a month ago, some interesting numbers:
Let’s take a look at some of Foles’ craziest statistical achievements.
He did it again
Foles is the sixth QB in NFL history with two career games with 400 yards, 4 TDs and a 70 percent completion percentage. He had 406 yards, seven TDs and 79 percent accuracy in his legendary game against the Raiders in Oakland in 2013 and 471 yards, 4 TDs and 71 percent accuracy against the Texans on Sunday. The others are Drew Brees (3), Ryan Fitzpatrick (2, including one against the Eagles this year), Peyton Manning (2), Dan Marino (2) and Aaron Rodgers (2).
Third-down stats you won’t believe
Foles on Sunday put up these numbers on 3rd and 4th down: 15-for-16, 193 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs and a near-perfect 156.5 passer rating. Over the last two years, Foles has the highest passer rating in the NFL on third or fourth down at 123.9. That’s on 79-for-111 for 944 yards with 9 TDs and 0 INTs. Pat Mahomes is second (115.8) and Carson Wentz is third (110.6).
More insane 3rd-down numbers
In his last seven games — since the start of last year’s playoffs — Foles’ third- and fourth-down numbers are almost unbelievable: 65-for-80 for 814 yards, eight touchdowns and no interceptions for a 142.4 passer rating. In the second half of those games, he’s even better — 31-for-37 for 329 yards, 5 TDs, 0 INTs and a 143.3 rating. That’s six incomplete passes out of 37 attempts on third or fourth down in the second half since last year’s postseason began.
Ridiculous accuracy
Foles has completed 70 percent of his passes in three straight games, which is the second-longest streak ever by an Eagles quarterback behind only Wentz’s streak of four straight 70 percent games earlier this year — a streak that began and ended after Foles’ streak began. As a team, the Eagles this year are completing 69.6 percent of their passes. That’s 10th-highest in NFL history with one game left.
Loving the Linc
Foles lost all three of his starts at the Linc as a rookie in 2012 and then his first home start of 2013, a 17-3 loss to the Cowboys. Since then he’s won 11 straight meaningful regular-season home starts — his last four of 2013, all four in 2014 and then vs. the Raiders last year and the Falcons and Texans this year. If you include the playoffs, he’s 13-1 at the Linc since that 2013 Dallas game.
Piling up the yards
Foles has played 53 games in his career and has four 400-yard games. Only two QBs — Matt Stafford and Dan Marino — had more 400-yard games in their first 53 career games, six for Marino and five for Stafford.
Big plays
The 83-yard TD pass to Nelson Agholor was the longest pass of Foles’ career and the Eagles’ longest TD pass since Michael Vick’s 91-yarder to DeSean Jackson at Dallas in 2010. The last longer TD pass by an Eagles QB at the Linc was Donovan McNabb’s 90-yarder to Hank Baskett against the Rams in 2008.
December heroics
Foles’ 471 yards Sunday are fourth-most in NFL history in December, behind only Warren Moon’s 527 against the Chiefs in 1990 and two games by Ben Roethlisberger — 506 vs. the Ravens in 2017 and 503 against the Packers in 2009.
Historic performance
Foles on Sunday became only the eighth QB to throw for 470 yards and four or more TDs while completing 70 percent of his passes.
Chasing Donovan
Foles has the 14th-most starts in Eagles history, but only Donovan McNabb has more career games with a passer rating over 120. McNabb had 16 and Foles now has eight.
QB tag number last yr was $23mill.. with Stafford,Carr,Rodgers,Cousins deal that tag will exceed $26mill.. I hope Eagles get stuck paying him $26mill cause no other team will
Signing and trading Foles is 100% the correct decision. This is a business and both Nick and the Eagles management understand this. The Eagles have made a collective division that Wentz is their franchise QB, whether you, I or anyone else agrees. When Phila decided to give Foles the extra 1M after he missed the bonus due to injury it came with the understanding of respect and loyalty to do what’s best for Both Parties. Nick will have some input in his destination which in my opinion will be Jacksonville. I also believe that the framework of that trade have been agreed to ( Fournette & the extra 3rd round pick the Jags have) you may see a 5 th going back from Phila. Again just an observation of team needs and the match up with the new Offensive coordinator in Jacksville. This is a professional and mature approach by both parties and honestly a win – win for both franchises.
Keep him. Need a QB every December & in the playoffs ever year cause Wentz is hurt