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QB Nick Foles Announces Retirement

August 8th, 2024 at 10:10am CST by Sam Robinson

Nick Foles did not play last season, and the former Super Bowl MVP will not attempt to return to the league in 2024. The veteran quarterback announced his retirement after 11 seasons Thursday.

Turning 35 this offseason, Foles spent his most recent NFL campaign with the Colts. That 2022 season was far from his best work, and Indianapolis released him along with Matt Ryan in 2023. Foles will certainly be better remembered for his other stints, most notably his work in Philadelphia.

The virtuoso display the then-Carson Wentz backup offered in the 2017 NFC championship game and then Super Bowl LII led to the Eagles winning their only Super Bowl title and claiming an NFL crown for the first time since 1960. Foles did not have as much luck as a team’s preferred starter, but he also submitted a quality late-season relief effort to extend Philly’s title-defense season into the divisional round. Foles walks away having played for the Eagles, Rams, Chiefs, Jaguars, Bears and Colts.

Foles’ Eagles run began when the then-Andy Reid-run team used a third-round pick on the Arizona alum. The Eagles had traded would-be Donovan McNabb heir apparent Kevin Kolb to the Cardinals in 2011, and as injuries continued to hound free agency pickup/extension recipient Michael Vick, Foles stepped in. Foles’ first Philly stint included 24 starts, including a 2013 outing in Oakland that featured the 6-foot-6 passer tie the NFL record with seven touchdown passes, and a playoff berth. Foles was at the controls during Chip Kelly‘s 2013 debut, which produced an NFC East title and a narrow wild-card loss. Kelly’s one year in charge of personnel, however, resulted in Foles’ exit.

Kelly shipped Foles to St. Louis for Sam Bradford, whom the Eagles — after Howie Roseman regained the GM reins once Kelly was fired — traded after one season. Foles said he considered retirement following a rough Rams stint, which involved a benching and then a release. He resurfaced in Kansas City, backing up Alex Smith, and fetched a two-year, $11MM deal to back up Wentz. That turned out to be one of the most important QB2 acquisitions in NFL history.

Wentz’s ACL and MCL tears sidetracked what looked like an MVP season, and Foles struggled early in replacing the ascending starter. This led to the Eagles memorably being an underdog No. 1 seed in the divisional round. Foles silenced doubters by dominating to close out the Eagles’ banner postseason. Submitting 352- and 373-yard showings against the Vikings and Patriots, Foles threw six TD passes — and memorably caught another — to seal the Eagles’ championship. A statue now exists in Philadelphia because of Foles’ “Philly Special” offering.

Following another successful finish replacing Wentz, Foles saw his starter run end quickly. The Jaguars regretted the four-year, $88MM deal they authorized in 2019, benching him for Gardner Minshew before a 2020 trade with the Bears. Foles replaced Mitchell Trubisky early that season but was back on the bench during the stretch run. The Bears, who reworked Foles’ contract upon acquiring him, released the QB — who had become the team’s third-stringer following the Justin Fields draft choice — in 2022.

Thanks largely to the Jaguars contract, Foles earned more than $87MM in his career — a journey that included 58 starts, two trades and three releases. Although consistency eluded Foles, his Eagles accomplishments will certainly be remembered fondly.

Nick Sirianni-Jalen Hurts Relationship ‘Fractured’ In 2023

August 7th, 2024 at 10:10pm CST by Sam Robinson

Nick Sirianni will enter his fourth Eagles season in an interesting place. The Philadelphia HC narrowly missed winning a Super Bowl in his second season, doing so after the team made a surprise playoff appearance in 2021. Last season’s undoing, however, pushed the former OC into firing rumors. Though, those appear to have been slightly overblown.

Rumors connecting the Eagles and Bill Belichick have circulated for months, with the legendary HC — currently preparing for a few media gigs for the 2024 season — believed to be interested should the job open in 2025. As of now, Sirianni is not exactly on the NFL’s hottest seat. But the temperature of the former Colts coordinator’s chair is nevertheless interesting.

Sirianni’s relationship with Jalen Hurts will play a key part of his post-2024 future in Philly, and the sides look to have work to do to. During the 2023 season, the relationship fractured, a source informed ESPN.com’s Tim McManus. While both sides have attempted to mend fences this offseason, this cornerstone relationship’s status may be the top Eagles storyline following an ugly late-season collapse that involved a defensive coordinator demotion and eventually led Sirianni to clean house and hire a new OC-DC tandem. Vic Fangio will be in charge of repairing a broken Eagles defense, but Sirianni — as the team went through with an onslaught of paydays on offense — will obviously remain pivotal as a non-play-calling HC.

Giving up play-calling duties midway through his first Eagles season, Sirianni nevertheless prompted some of his players to wonder who exactly was calling the shots on offense last season. A disconnect surrounding Hurts wanting more authority on offense, in an attempt made by the quarterback and OC Brian Johnson to evolve the scheme Sirianni brought with him from Indianapolis, was one of the main reasons behind the disconnect between HC and QB, McManus reports. Sirianni overruled Johnson at points, and a coach Hurts knew since childhood became a one-and-done. Ownership, along with GM Howie Roseman, is believed to have played perhaps the lead role in Johnson’s firing.

After showing significant improvement in his second starter season and dueling with Patrick Mahomes in Super Bowl LVII, Hurts took a step backward during a season that involved a leg injury. While the recently extended QB did not miss any time, he saw his interception count balloon from six to 15 and his yards per attempt drop from 8.0 to 7.2. Accusations of Hurts tuning out Sirianni and the former second-round pick playing “hero ball” surfaced, per McManus, as the Eagles’ tailspin featured them tumbling from 10-1 to being on the wrong end of a wild-card blowout.

We heard before the Eagles’ loss in Tampa that Hurts was dissatisfied with the offense’s direction. This reached a strange point in which he reached out to Don Martindale before the wild-card matchup. Hurts confirmed (via PHLY’s Zach Berman) McManus’ account of a Martindale conversation, which occurred after the two-year Giants DC bolted from his New York gig. The effort did not exactly help, and the Eagles soon hired Kellen Moore — prior to signing Saquon Barkley — to fix the offense.

In an effort to keep his scheme in line with what had worked in the past, Sirianni became more hands-on compared to his role during Steichen’s time calling plays and went through with one-on-one meetings with his quarterback. Those appear to have been counterproductive, given the reported state of his relationship with Hurts by season’s end.

Hurts declined to answer a question about Sirianni’s openness to change the offense this offseason. Although it is early, McManus adds Moore is receiving more autonomy by comparison to Johnson, whom the Eagles promoted after two seasons as QBs coach. Moore has considerably more experience, having called plays in Dallas during Jason Garrett‘s tenure and from 2020-22 under Mike McCarthy. Moore’s one-and-done Chargers OC stay was less memorable. Johnson has since caught on with the Commanders, being hired as Dan Quinn‘s pass-game coordinator.

Considering Sirianni’s tenuous grip on the Philly HC job, his Hurts dealings will be a running talking point this year. Hurts’ performance in Moore’s offense will go a long way toward determining Sirianni’s 2025 status. The Eagles are highly unlikely to bail on Hurts the way they punted on the Carson Wentz setup less than two years after authorizing his extension, but the team — given its investments on offense — will certainly need to see a bounce-back effort from its high-priced passer. Otherwise, another firing involving an Eagles Super Bowl leader is likely on tap.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/7/24

August 7th, 2024 at 7:38pm CST by Ely Allen

Wednesday’s minor moves:

Cincinnati Bengals

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Miami Dolphins

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

  • Claimed off waivers (from Commanders): TE Armani Rogers
  • Waived: WR Shaq Davis

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Washington Commanders

The Packers apparently felt it necessary to add another competitor to their position battle at kicker today, signing Hale out of Oklahoma State. The former walk-on from Australia hit on 43 of his 54 field goal attempts as a Cowboy in Stillwater.

Following the retirement of Tarik Cohen, the Jets opted to sign Jackson. The former Colts rusher had some big moments in 2022 while filling in for an injured Jonathan Taylor. He and Vaughn were both participants in a recent workout with the Texans, but Cam Akers walked away from that day with the job.

Lastly, Owens’, son of NFL legend Terrell Owens, time with one of his father’s former teams has come to an end. His pedigree may have assisted in landing an opportunity as an undrafted free agent in San Francisco, but he was unable to stay rostered throughout camp.

Mekhi Becton In Lead For Eagles’ RG Job?

August 7th, 2024 at 9:27am CST by Sam Robinson

It took until late April for Mekhi Becton to land with a team. Before his first preseason game with the Eagles, the former Jets long-term left tackle hopeful is making a case for a starting role at a new position.

The Eagles continue a close examination of Becton at guard. The former first-round tackle saw reps at guard during the team’s offseason program, and although 2023 third-rounder Tyler Steen entered camp as the favorite to take over — as 2023 RG starter Cam Jurgens slides to center post-Jason Kelce — Becton may interfere with the organization’s previous plan.

Steen missed some time due to injury recently but has since made his return to practice. For a third straight day with Steen back at work, PHLY’s Zach Berman notes Becton is running with the team’s first-team offense. This trend began when Steen went down with an ankle injury on Day 3 of training camp, per NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Dave Zangaro, who notes Steen’s stock has begun to drop since.

Steen took all the team’s first-string RG reps before his injury, per the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane. While the Eagles may be easing Steen back into action, a position battle — at the very least — appears to have formed here.

Becton becoming Philly’s answer at right guard would mark a significant change for the ex-Jets starter’s positional trajectory and halt a period of internal Eagles solutions up front. The Eagles drafted both Jurgens and Landon Dickerson as potential center heir apparents, using the former at left guard once he proved an immediate solution there during Kelce’s career. With Kelce hanging up his cleats after 14 seasons, Jurgens is sliding to center to create an RG open Steen was ticketed to fill. While Nick Sirinni indicated Becton’s continued run with the first team does not reveal a shift in this competition, it does appear the 2020 first-rounder is in the lead.

Becton, who signed a one-year deal worth $2.75MM, has never played a down at guard in the NFL. The Jets kicked him to right tackle at multiple points, doing so in a game for the first time last season. Of course, Becton position changes were largely moot in 2021 or ’22 since he missed all but one regular-season game during that span. He returned to extensive action last season, however, playing mostly left tackle but logging 101 snaps on the right side. The underwhelming Jets tackle, however, appears to have a gateway to starting for what has been one of the NFL’s premier offensive lines over the past few seasons.

While Becton has never played an NFL down at guard, Steen logged only 71 snaps as a rookie. The preseason slate will play a central role in determining which of these blockers steps in, but Becton making this strong of an impression at a new position early is certainly notable.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/5/24

August 5th, 2024 at 8:04pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Cleveland Browns

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

  • Signed: LB Mike Rose

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

  • Waived: OL Jason Poe

Seattle Seahawks

Eagles Sign LB Shaquille Quarterman

August 5th, 2024 at 8:52am CST by Adam La Rose

Philadelphia will have an additional option in the linebacking corps for the remainder of training camp. The Eagles have an agreement in place with Shaquille Quarterman, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. The signing is now official, per a team announcement.

Quarterman entered the league in 2020 after being drafted by the Jaguars. He was a regular in Jacksonville over the course of his rookie contract, making 65 combined regular and postseason appearances. The 26-year-old did not make any starts on defense, though, with most of his playing time coming on special teams.

The 2021 season saw Quarterman total 3o tackles while logging his largest defensive workload (142 snaps). His third phase contributions over the following two years were not enough to land him a new Jaguars pact, however, leading to a lengthy stay on the open market. The former fourth-rounder visited the Bears last month, but he will be headed to Philadelphia for at least the next few weeks.

The Eagles have undergone a number of changes at the linebacker spot this offseason after the team’s underwhelming end on defense to close out the 2023 campaign. Nicholas Morrow took a deal with the Bills, while Zach Cunningham and Shaquille Leonard remain unsigned. Philadelphia added Devin White and Zack Baun in free agency before drafting Jeremiah Trotter Jr. Those new faces will join returnee Nakobe Dean in competing for defensive playing time.

Quarterman will attempt to carve out a role as part of that group, presumably on special teams. The Eagles’ upcoming preseason contests will give the Miami alum a chance to earn a 53-man roster spot. Philadelphia entered Monday with over $25.5MM in cap space, so this addition (which will no doubt be for one year and the league minimum) will not affect the team’s financial outlook.

NFL Coaching Rumors: Harbaugh, Gruden, Harris

August 4th, 2024 at 9:49pm CST by Ely Allen

New Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh left the NFL to coach at his alma mater in Ann Arbor. It took him nine years, but he eventually led the Wolverines to a national championship before making his way back to the NFL. That’s not all that Harbaugh did during his time at the University of Michigan, though.

Under Harbaugh’s leadership, a former staffer named Connor Stalions was revealed to have led an effort to capture the play-calling signals of future opponents. Investigation into the initial allegations led to several penalties being imposed by the NCAA. According to Mike Florio of NBC Sports, Harbaugh is one of the parties targeted by the collegiate organization. He will be “charged with a Level 1 violation, the highest degree of penalty the NCAA can impose.”

Other coaches, including Stalions, Chris Partridge, and Denard Robinson also had Level 1 violations levied against them, while new Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore faces a Level 2 charge that could result in a suspension. The university itself also reportedly faces a Level 1 violation for an alleged “pattern of noncompliance within the football program” and efforts to obstruct the NCAA’s investigation.

With Harbaugh having departed for the NFL, NCAA violations don’t hold much weight. Should Harbaugh ever make the decision to return to the college ranks of coaching again, he may be forced to face the recourse for his actions and the actions of his staff.

Here are a couple other coaching rumors from around the league:

  • Former Raiders head coach Jon Gruden‘s most recent exit from the NFL has been a messy one, resulting in Gruden’s attempted lawsuit against the league and its commissioner. While Gruden may be at odds with the NFL, he has slowly been accepted back into NFL coaching circles. In 2023, he worked as a consultant with the Saints, and according to Michael David Smith of NBC Sports, Gruden has been seen doing work for the Chiefs this offseason. Gruden has been spotted working with head coach Andy Reid and several assistants while decked out in Chiefs gear. Reid and Gruden are connected from their time working together for the Packers from 1992 to 1994. There haven’t been any reports of Gruden officially joining the staff in Kansas City, so there’s a chance he was just a camp visitor today.
  • Lastly, we could be seeing one of the latest instances of a former NFL player making their way into the coaching world. Per Zach Berman of PHLY, former NFL safety Anthony Harris has been working with the Eagles staff this summer. Harris spent six years of his eight-year career in Minnesota, where he once led the league in interceptions (6) despite only playing in 14 games. Following his time with the Vikings, Harris spent a season with Philadelphia as a starter for 14 games. He appeared in three games for the Broncos in 2022 before getting released and signing a free agent deal to return to Philadelphia, though he didn’t appear in any more contests with the Eagles. He remained a free agent all of last year and is technically one now. It’s unclear if he has any intentions to continue playing, seeing as he never officially retired, but if he’s trying his hand at coaching, it’s likely safe to say that his playing days are over.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/3/24

August 3rd, 2024 at 9:00pm CST by Adam La Rose

Saturday’s minor moves:

Carolina Panthers

Houston Texans

New Orleans Saints

  • Waived (injury designation): WR Jermaine Jackson

Philadelphia Eagles

  • Claimed off waivers (from Jets): TE Kevin Foelsch
  • Waived (injury designation): TE McCallan Castles

Brown’s workout with the Panthers obviously went well, as he now has a deal in place. The 30-year-old was unable to find a permanent home last season as he continued to rehab a torn Achilles from the year prior. Brown will spend the rest of the summer with a team seeking out depth at the CB spot, and his experience from his Cowboys days could help him secure a roster spot. Doing so could pave the way for at least a rotational role ahead of free agency in 2025.

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/31/24

July 31st, 2024 at 8:25pm CST by Ely Allen

Wednesday’s minor transactions to close out the month:

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New York Giants

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Snead is the latest veteran wideout to join the Dolphins receiving corps. He hasn’t really contributed much to the NFL since his 2020 campaign with the Ravens, but he’ll get another chance this summer in South Beach.

Carolina brings in Johnson just a day after watching veteran Rashaad Penny hang up his cleats. In order to make room for Johnson, the Panthers let good of Davis, the team’s recent signee from the UFL.

Butler was waived after a failed physical two days ago. After going unclaimed, he’ll get to stay in Vegas by taking a place on the reserve/PUP list.

Eagles Agree To Terms With OL Nick Gates

July 30th, 2024 at 2:42pm CST by Sam Robinson

Nick Gates‘ journey around the NFC East is set to continue. The former Giants and Commanders starter is heading to Philadelphia. The Eagles agreed to terms with Gates on Tuesday, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo tweets. The team waived cornerback Mario Goodrich to make room on its roster.

Having played center in Washington and across the O-line in New York, Gates will head to Pennsylvania to join a team that lost a future Hall of Fame center. Cam Jurgens is sliding from guard to center to replace Jason Kelce, but the Eagles are holding a competition at right guard. Thus far, former third-round pick Tyler Steen has been mentioned most frequently as the likely RG. But Gates will supply another option.

The Commanders released Gates one season into a three-year, $16.5MM deal, one authorized by the Ron Rivera-led regime. The Adam Peters-run operation moved on from Gates and left tackle Charles Leno. While Leno remains unsigned, Gates has secured another gig ahead of what would be his sixth NFL season.

Gates, 28, came back from a major injury to secure that midlevel Commanders contract. A broken leg sustained in September 2021 kept Gates out for over a year, sidetracking his run as a Giants starter. He made a return midway through the 2022 season and worked mostly in a platoon role. Despite splitting time for a chunk of his comeback season, Gates managed to land a nice Washington payday. Pro Football Focus slotted Gates as the No. 17 overall center last season.

This still prompted the new Commanders regime to drop the former UDFA; the team is taking on a $5.3MM dead money hit this year as a result. Gates will join a crowded setup inside in Philly. Brett Toth, ex-Falcon Matt Hennessy and former second-rounder Max Scharping are in place as guard/center options. Day 3 draftees Trevor Keegan (Round 5) and Dylan McMahon (Round 6) are also rostered. The Eagles have cross-trained Mekhi Becton at guard, however, providing an interesting wrinkle here. Becton played exclusively at tackle in games as a Jet.

While Gates has 29 starts under his belt — including a 16-game run as the Giants’ center back in 2020 — this Eagles equation may not guarantee him a spot on the 53-man roster. The signing does add an intriguing name to the mix, as the team prepares to transition from Kelce and find capable backups. Gates’ time at center and both guard spots, along with an early-career right tackle work, would make him an appealing swing option behind the starting five.

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