Nick Foles - Pro Football Rumors

East Rumors: Mayfield, Dolphins, Eagles

May 6th, 2018 at 9:56pm CST by Sam Robinson

While multiple reports have indicated the Jets‘ goal for their No. 3 pick was Sam Darnold, their new heir apparent, Baker Mayfield‘s agent said the team was effusive in its praise for his client when he visited Gang Green headquarters in April.

“When he visited the Jets, they pretty much said ‘You’re our guy if you’re there,'” Mayfield’s agent Jack Mills said on “The Business of Sport with Andrew Brandt” podcast (via Newsday). “(The Browns) didn’t say you’re our guy. I don’t know what they said. They liked him and (John) Dorsey never contacted us.”

It’s since come out the Browns had several executives independently declare Mayfield was the draft’s top quarterback, but for weeks, the Jets/Mayfield noise increased. However, this may well have been contingent on Darnold not getting past Cleveland.

Here’s the latest from the East divisions, continuing with a Dolphins draft what-if.

Here’s a nice chain reaction from the fourth round: the Ravens appear to have sought Miami running back Mark Walton with their fourth-round pick, but the Bengals took him at No. 112. This led to Baltimore selecting Alabama cornerback Anthony Averett at No. 118. This, in turn, depressed some in the Dolphins‘ war room. Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald hears the Dolphins sought Averett with their fourth-rounder (No. 122), but they ended up drafting Notre Dame tight end Durham Smythe. This came after Miami already took Penn State tight end Mike Gesicki in Round 2.
The Dolphins have T.J. McDonald signed through 2020, but they may be considering moving him to linebacker, per Jackson. Miami extended McDonald last September and deployed him as a starting safety in eight games after his eight-game suspension ended. He graded as a middle-of-the-pack safety in the view of Pro Football Focus, but the analytics site rated McDonald as an upper-echelon run defender. Set to have Kiko Alonso and Raekwon McMillan start at two of their three linebacker spots, the Dolphins may have an interest in stationing McDonald at one of their outside positions. Although, they did draft former McMillan Ohio State teammate Jerome Baker in the third round.
Darren Sproles will make $1.015MM in base salary this season with the Eagles, per Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com. It’s uncertain what bonuses and incentives are in the 34-year-old running back’s contract, but Sproles is already on the books for this salary.
The Eagles are highly unlikely to pick up Nick Foles‘ mutual option in 2019, Parks notes. That figure is worth $20.6MM as a result of the renegotiated deal the Eagles and Foles agreed upon earlier this year. Foles faced a somewhat similar circumstance in 2016, when the Chiefs did not pick up an eight-figure option and sent him back into free agency. Shorr-Parks writes the Eagles understandably would be more willing to work out a long-term deal with their backup quarterback than have him stick around on that price.

NFC Notes: Bulaga, Foles, Cowboys

April 29th, 2018 at 12:24pm CST by Rory Parks

Given that the Packers could save nearly $5MM by releasing RT Bryan Bulaga, and given Bulaga’s recent injury history, there was some chatter that Green Bay could part ways with the ninth-year pro (especially since Bulaga is not even guaranteed to be ready for the start of the 2018 season after tearing his ACL on November 6). But we recently heard that Bulaga remains in the team’s 2018 plans, and head coach Mike McCarthy said Bulaga’s rehab is ahead of schedule (per Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com). Therefore, it certainly sounds as if Bulaga will be back for the fourth year of the five-year pact he signed prior to the 2015 season.

In a series of tweets, Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com passes along more details on Nick Foles‘ reworked deal. Foles’ cap number is now $9.6MM, fourth-highest on the Eagles, but if the team were to trade him after June 1, it would save $7MM in cap space, more than it would have saved prior to the restructure. As such, the restructure looks like a win-win in that Foles gets more money and incentives and it’s easier for the Eagles to deal him if someone comes along with a great offer. Shorr-Parks, though, still does not expect Foles to be traded.
The Cowboys selected Western Kentucky quarterback Mike White in the fifth round of this year’s draft, which marked just the sixth time Dallas has drafted a QB since Jerry Jones purchased the franchise in 1989. White is expected to compete with Cooper Rush for the backup job, though Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News writes that executive vice president Stephen Jones is open to carrying three signal-callers in 2018.
Per Mike Triplett of ESPN.com (via Twitter), Saints head coach Sean Payton does not know if the team will bring in a fourth QB to compete with Tom Savage and Taysom Hill. Payton said the Saints considered drafting a signal-caller this weekend, but they are anxious to see what Savage and Hill can do.
Brady Henderson of ESPN.com says the Seahawks see Shaquem Griffin, whom they selected in the fifth round of this weekend’s draft, as a weak-side LB at the next level, and he also reports that Seattle viewed fourth-round pick Will Dissly as the best blocking tight end in the class (Twitter links).
The Lions apparently disappointed at least a couple of teams in this weekend’s draft. Per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter), Detroit selected Auburn RB Kerryon Johnson one pick before the Redskins were prepared to take him, and the Panthers were going to take UL-Lafayette CB Tracy Walker with the No. 85 overall pick, but the Lions nabbed him with their No. 82 pick.

East Notes: Foles, Giants, Breeland

April 22nd, 2018 at 12:32pm CST by Rory Parks

The Eagles and reigning Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles just agreed to a reworked contract that gives Foles a $2MM raise for 2018, plus a whole host of incentives. The deal also includes a mutual option for 2019, though if Foles were to decline the option, he would have to give back the $2MM he just received.

Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com examines why Philadelphia, which is tight against the cap this year and will be again in 2019, made the move. The reworked deal probably had little to nothing to do with the Eagles’ wanting to reward Foles for his postseason heroics, so Shorr-Parks speculates that Foles and his camp could have put some pressure on the team, and he also suggests the new contract may come with a lower cap hit.

The chances that the Eagles exercise the 2019 option are very slim, as Foles would be owed a $20MM salary under that scenario. But, if the two sides want to continue their relationship beyond 2018, this gesture will certainly buy the Eagles some goodwill when it comes time to negotiate again. It also guarantees that Philadelphia, which already had the best QB insurance policy in the game, will keep that policy perfectly content this season, and even if Carson Wentz cannot stay healthy, the team has given itself a chance to deploy a capable signal-caller for at least the next two years.

Now let’s take a quick swing around a few other east division clubs:

Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com says the Giants could look to trade offensive tackle Ereck Flowers during the draft, though that will probably be a difficult trick to pull off. Raanan also says Big Blue has done a lot of pre-draft work on punters this year, and he believes the team could bring in a UDFA punter to compete with Riley Dixon. Dixon was recently acquired from Denver for a conditional seventh-round pick, so if he does not make the club, the Giants will likely not need to surrender the pick.
Former Redskins cornerback Bashaud Breeland was set to sign a three-year, $24MM pact with the Panthers last month, but Carolina scuttled the deal due to a “non-football incident” in which Breeland cut his foot. The foot became infected, and at the time, it was reported that Breeland was a few months away from being able to pass a physical. He will surely garner some interest this summer once he is healed, but JP Finlay of NBCSports.com says Washington is not expected to bring Breeland back into the fold. Indeed, Breeland himself indicated on Instagram that the Redskins never had interest in retaining his services.
The Patriots are in the unique position of having three fifth-year options to either exercise or decline before May 3, and Mike Reiss of ESPN.com says the team will almost certainly exercise those options on defensive tackles Danny Shelton and Malcom Brown (at a little over $7MM apiece). However, the team is unsurprisingly not expected to exercise the $9.387MM option for receiver Phillip Dorsett.
The Cowboys are expected to exercise Byron Jones‘ fifth-year option.

Details On Nick Foles’ New Contract

April 21st, 2018 at 9:27am CST by Ben Levine

We learned yesterday that the Eagles and quarterback Nick Foles had reached agreement on a new contract. Today, we’ve got specific details on the new deal.

The reworked contract will ultimately earn Foles an extra $2MM in 2018, but the quarterback has the potential to earn a whole lot more. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets that the contract includes another $14MM worth of incentives based on playing time, playoffs, and Pro Bowl. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo adds that Foles will earn $250K for each appearance, and that number will increase to $500K if the team wins. The 29-year-old has already earned a $3MM roster bonus and $2MM signing bonus, and he’s set to make a $4MM salary next season.

We also learned yesterday that the contract includes a mutual option for the 2019 season, meaning Foles could hit free agency next offseason. As Garafolo explains (via Twitter), the Eagles will have the ability to pick up Foles’ $20MM deal for 2019. Meanwhile, the quarterback will have the ability to “buy his way to free agency,” but that’d require him to sacrifice the $2MM signing bonus he just received.

With Foles having won Super Bowl MVP and the Eagles also rostering Carson Wentz, there was some question about how the organization would proceed at the quarterback position. As our own Zach Links pointed out, the new deal isn’t a reflection of the team’s feeling on Wentz’s recovery from an ACL injury. Rather, it’s “about giving [Foles] extra compensation in light of his postseason performance.”

Foles had expressed interest in being a starter next season, and the Eagles reportedly shopped the veteran quarterback. However, this new deal would seemingly be a reasonable compromise for both sides.

Eagles Rework Nick Foles’ Contract

April 20th, 2018 at 3:30pm CST by Zachary Links

The reigning Super Bowl MVP has himself a new contract. Quarterback Nick Foles and the Eagles have struck agreement on a revised deal, sources tell Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter).

Foles’ new deal includes a mutual option for the 2019 season, giving Foles the opportunity to reach free agency next spring. Originally, Foles was slated to reach the free agency market after the 2018 campaign. The new deal gives him a $2MM signing bonus and several millions in incentives if he’s the starter and hits certain benchmarks, a source tells NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter).

The new pact is about giving him extra compensation in light of his postseason performance and not a reflection of the team’s feeling on Wentz’s recovery, according to Garafolo. The Eagles remain confident that Wentz will be back at 100% this season.

With Wentz on the mend, trade rumors surrounding Foles swirled this offseason. The Eagles, who value Foles and want to have a quality backstop in the event of another Wentz injury, placed a remarkably high price tag on the veteran. Reportedly, the Eagles were seeking more than the first-round pick and fourth-round pick they received from the Vikings in the Sam Bradford deal.

Recent comments from Foles indicated that he would like the opportunity to be a starter again, but the new deal is a reasonable compromise for the QB.

Eagles QB Nick Foles Open To Trade?

April 16th, 2018 at 1:15pm CST by Zachary Links

The reigning Super Bowl MVP is set to serve as a backup next season. Nick Foles is alright with that, but he sounds like he wouldn’t be opposed to a trade either.

“We love Philly. I know there was some stuff going around, a possible trade, and I would love the opportunity to be a starter again. I know my spot in Philly. I think I’ve shown what I can do,” Foles told KVUE in Texas. “I’m signed for one more year and I love the team, I love the city. I’m excited for Carson [Wentz] to get back on his feet. I’ll be ready to go whenever they need me. But we’ll see. Just living in the moment.”

The Eagles were reportedly seeking at least a first- and fourth-round pick for Foles this offseason, but that kind of deal never materialized. In late March, head coach Doug Pederson pretty much put the kibosh on any trade talk.

It would be surprising to see the Eagles move Foles at this juncture, but they pulled off a similar move in 2016 when they dealt Sam Bradford to the Vikings in September of 2016. The Eagles value Foles and want to keep him on board in the event that Wentz gets injured again, but it’s possible that a contender will blow them away with an offer in the event of an injury to a starting QB.

Eagles Expect To Keep Nick Foles

March 27th, 2018 at 1:45pm CST by Zachary Links

This offseason, the Eagles set a sky high asking price for Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles. Weeks later, it sounds like the quarterback is staying put. Head coach Doug Pederson says it’s “safe to say” that Foles will be with Philadelphia for the start of the 2018 season (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Sal Paolantonio).

The Eagles were reportedly seeking a package greater than the first- and fourth-round picks they received from the Vikings in the Sam Bradford trade. There were a number of teams looking for a starting quarterback this year, but it appears that none of them were willing to meet that price. Even though the Eagles were faced with a cap crunch this year, they have found a way to retain Foles at his cap number of $7.6MM to return as Carson Wentz‘s backup.

Of course, at this point, every team in the league either is either set at the quarterback position or has their sights set on a top signal caller in this year’s draft. It would be hard to imagine a Foles trade materializing in March or April, but it’s conceivable that something could surface if a contending team loses their starter to injury in the summer.

Eagles Never Got Offer They Liked For Nick Foles

March 24th, 2018 at 8:45pm CST by Ryan Posner

The Eagles had placed a hefty asking price on Nick Foles going into the offseason. It was reported that they were seeking at least a first- and fourth-round pick. Apparently, the Eagles never got an offer that made them feel close to dealing the reigning Super Bowl MVP.

Eagles head coach Doug Pederson helped shed some light on the situation surrounding Foles’ status while speaking to Steve Wyche of the NFL Network on Saturday at the NFL Annual Meeting in Orlando.

“Nothing too crazy. It had to be the right deal for us to do that,” Pederson said to Wyche. “But there wasn’t anything coming down our way for Nick.”

While speaking to Wyche, Pederson also said the Carson Wentz is “ahead of schedule” in his rehab from a torn ACL. Wentz was well on his way to serious MVP consideration before sustaining the injury in Week 14 against the Rams.

Foles will once again be relegated to the backup role once Wentz resumes duty. Pederson indicated that didn’t seem to be an issue for the 29-year-old Foles.

“He’s totally fine being that mentor, sort of in that backup role, helping Carson along the way,” Pederson continued. “That’s who Nick is. That’s who he is. And when called upon, he’s going to perform, but he understands this is Carson’s team and he’s going to support him every way he can.”

The Cardinals had reportedly sent in a call to the Eagles regarding Foles around the time they struck a deal with Sam Bradford. It was also reported in early March that an AFC team offered a second-round pick in exchange for Foles.

Extra Points: Jets, McKinnon, Cardinals, Mathieu, Eagles, Foles, Acho, Bears

March 14th, 2018 at 5:38pm CST by Zachary Links

The latest from around the NFL:

Running back Jerick McKinnon nearly joined Teddy Bridgewater with the Jets, according to Ben Volin of The Boston Globe (on Twitter). Ultimately, the 49ers came back with a big offer. The Jets pivoted at that point and instead signed running back Isaiah Crowell.
The Cardinals were willing to go to about $9MM/year with Tyrann Mathieu before he was cut, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com tweets. Other teams believe that he is now looking to top that figure. He may or may not get that kind of coin given his past injuries and a down 2017.
The Cardinals called the Eagles about acquiring Nick Foles this week, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). However, this took place right around the time of the Sam Bradford signing. With Bradford in the fold at a hefty salary, it’s unlikely that the Cards will go back to that well. Meanwhile, the Eagles seem intent on keeping the Super Bowl MVP.
Before re-signing with the Bears, linebacker Sam Acho also had interest from the Seahawks, Texans, and Rams (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Jeff Dickerson).

Eagles Leaning Toward Keeping Nick Foles?

March 12th, 2018 at 12:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

Depending on how Carson Wentz‘s rehab unfolds, Nick Foles could potentially be required to start for the defending Super Bowl champions come Week 1. And the Eagles may be proceeding accordingly.

While a previous report indicated even a 2016 Sam Bradford-type trade haul — first- and fourth-round picks — wouldn’t even be enough for a team to pry Foles from the Eagles, the team now may be leaning toward holding onto its backup.

Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets a first-round choice may be enough to sway the Eagles, but he adds the team does not want to trade him.

Wentz is in the middle stages of rehabbing the knee ligaments he tore in Los Angeles, and despite Foles’ value being at an all-time high after his Super Bowl MVP outing, no reports have indicated Philly is ready to cash in on that. An AFC team offered the Eagles a second-round pick for Foles, but that clearly wasn’t sufficient.

The 29-year-old quarterback is under contract for one more season and set to comprise $7.6MM of the Eagles’ cap.