Nick Foles

Eagles Seeking More Than 1st, 4th Round Picks For Nick Foles

March 5th, 2018 at 1:29pm CST by Zachary Links

The Eagles have set a sky high asking price for Nick Foles. In order to part with the reigning Super Bowl MVP, the Eagles are telling teams they’ll need more than the first- and fourth-round picks they received from the Vikings in the Sam Bradford trade, according to Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com (on Twitter).

With roughly two weeks to go between now and the start of free agency, the Eagles can afford to set the bar high. That’s presumably what the Eagles are doing here. While Foles is a quality quarterback and arguably a stronger option than any free agent QB not named Kirk Cousins, it’s hard to imagine the Eagles netting such a return for him. It’s also hard to see the Eagles holding on to Foles as their backup given his $7MM+ cap hit and the team’s limited financial flexibility. The likely outcome here is that Foles will be traded and it will probably be for less than what the Eagles are currently asking for.

For what it’s worth, Mortensen reports that the Eagles have received multiple offers for Foles, but they have not been actively shopping him. We don’t know the nature of every offer put in front of them, but we do know that one AFC team has already pitched a second-round pick for the 29-year-old.

Eagles Offered Second-Round Pick For Nick Foles

March 5th, 2018 at 11:21am CST by Zachary Links

An AFC team has offered a second-round pick for Eagles quarterback Nick Foles, according to a source with direct knowledge of the situation who spoke with Geoff Mosher of FanRag. The source says that the proposal was made to Philadelphia earlier this offseason.

The Eagles, ideally, would like to hold on to the Super Bowl MVP, but that’s a luxury they might not be able to afford given their serious numbers crunch. In a vacuum, Foles’ $7.6MM cap charge is completely justifiable, but the Eagles have bigger needs to address than the backup QB role.

The Eagles are already primed to lose tight end Trey Burton to free agency and nickel cornerback Patrick Robinson could also fly the nest. Moving Foles could help the Eagles in their bid to retain Robinson, or at least give them the draft ammo necessary to replace him and fill other holes.

The identity of the AFC team in question is not known, but the Browns, Bills, and Jets would all be logical suitors. The Dolphins, who may not be 100% confident in Ryan Tannehill, could also fit the profile of a team with interest in Foles.

QB Notes: Vikings, Rosen, Hackenberg

March 4th, 2018 at 10:22am CST by Rory Parks

The Vikings might be the current leaders in the Kirk Cousins sweepstakes, and if the Vikes can land the coveted signal-caller, all three of their 2017 QBs — Case Keenum, Sam Bradford, and Teddy Bridgewater — will likely be suiting up elsewhere in 2018. Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets that at least a handful of teams have expressed interest in Bridgewater as a potential starting quarterback, so he does have a market, despite some reports that the Vikings themselves view Bridgewater as a pedestrian QB.

Now let’s take a look at a few more rumors surrounding some of the draft’s top QBs, as well as veteran signal-callers that could be on the move:

If the Vikings cannot land Cousins, Andrew Krammer of the Star Tribune suggests that Eagles QB (and Super Bowl LII MVP) Nick Foles could be on the team’s radar. The Eagles have suggested they are open to trading Foles, and Minnesota just hired former Philadelphia QBs coach John DeFilippo as its new offensive coordinator. Of course, the two sides previously completed a QB trade when the Eagles shipped Bradford to the Vikings prior to the 2016 campaign.
Paul Schwartz of the New York Post wonders if Giants head coach Pat Shurmur‘s recent unsolicited comments about Eli Manning‘s enviable durability — and Shurmur’s statement that players who get injured a lot continue to get injured a lot — are an indication that Big Blue is concerned about Josh Rosen‘s injury history. The UCLA quarterback has suffered two concussions, and he also underwent surgery on his throwing shoulder in 2016. Nonetheless, Schwartz writes that Rosen has looked as good as advertised at the combine, so aside from health concerns, he appears to be a viable target for the Giants, who hold the No. 2 overall selection.
Rich Cimini of ESPN.com says it would be a “minor upset” if Christian Hackenberg is still on the Jets in 2018, and Hackenberg’s fate could be tied to the Cousins sweepstakes. If New York does not land Cousins, it will look to acquire another veteran QB or two — Cimini names Bridgewater as one possibility — and then draft a rookie signal-caller. If the Jets do sign Cousins, Hackenberg could theoretically stick as a backup, but even in that scenario, Gang Green would likely try to sign a more accomplished No. 2, and the club may still pick up a rookie in the later rounds of the draft, which would force Hackenberg out of the picture. For his part, Cimini believes it’s time to move on, and it appears head coach Todd Bowles feels similarly. Interestingly, Ben Volin of the Boston Globe says he has watched videos of Hackenberg’s offseason workouts, and he reports the former Penn State star’s mechanics look terrific.
Sam Darnold‘s throwing motion is a little longer than some scouts would like, but he has no plans to change it, per Chase Goodbread of NFL.com. Darnold is not throwing at this year’s combine, though teams will have a chance to further evaluate his mechanics at USC’s pro day on March 21.

Nick Foles’ Eagles Future Remains Murky

February 5th, 2018 at 11:08am CST by Zachary Links

Nick Foles was the MVP of the Super Bowl, but his future with the Eagles is far from certain. On Monday morning, coach Doug Pederson all but confirmed that Carson Wentz will be the Eagles’ starter to open up the 2018 season.

“I had a chance to talk to Carson actually on the field, on the podium last night after the game. I told him to take this in, enjoy this moment,” Pederson said on Monday morning (via NFL.com). “He’s a great quarterback and he’s a big reason — I told him you’re a big, big part of why this team won this championship, won this game. I told him that hopefully we’ll be back in this game with him leading the way.”

When asked if the Super Bowl MVP can realistically return as Wentz’ backup, Pederson didn’t have much in the way of concrete answers.

“I knew I couldn’t get off this stage without that question,” Pederson said. “You know what? I’m going to tell you right now, we’re going to enjoy it, we’re going to get on this plane, go back to Philadelphia, we’re going to celebrate with our fans back in Philly. We’ve got a long offseason — well, really a short offseason now. We’re just going to enjoy this moment. I’m happy for Nick, I’m happy for the team. It’s not about one guy, it’s about the team. Like I said, we’re going to enjoy these next few days.”

The Eagles would certainly like to keep Foles as Wentz’s No. 2 in the event of another injury next season and he has proven himself to be more than worthy of his $7.6MM cap charge for next season. At the same time, Foles will likely want to be a starting quarterback again and the Eagles could definitely use some additional draft capital as they pick last in the first round and do not own their second or third round picks thanks to trades. In the coming weeks, the Eagles can be expected to keep the phone lines open as teams inquire about this year’s Super Bowl hero.

Eagles Open To Trading QB Nick Foles

February 4th, 2018 at 2:59pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Eagles are expected to receive trade interest in quarterback Nick Foles this offseason, and they’re open to dealing their backup signal-caller for the right price, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (video link).

Following Carson Wentz‘s ACL tear, Foles led Philadelphia to a 2-1 record during the final three games of the regular season, and posted five touchdowns against two interceptions during that time. The 29-year-old Foles further stepped up his performance during the Eagles’ first two postseason contests, as he’s managed a 77.8% completion rate, three touchdowns, and no picks.

Although the 2018 quarterback market boasts several competent alternatives, Foles would offer a cheap stop-gap option. While he’s technically signed through 2021, the 2019-21 campaigns are void years. An acquiring club would be picking up Foles for only one season (barring an extension), during which he’d earn a $4MM base salary ($3MM of which is fully guaranteed) and a $3MM roster bonus. The Eagles would take on the remaining signing bonus proration of Foles’ contract, which amounts to $2.4MM.

It’s unclear what kind of return Philadelphia could hope to reap in exchange for Foles. While he’s been successful over the past month or so, Foles’ career track record is consistent with that of an average-to-below-average quarterback. Just last offseason, Foles hit the open market and was only able to land a backup job. The Eagles and general manager Howie Roseman, for their part, have been extremely active in the trade market over the past few years, and have expressed an openness for deals that include either draft picks or other established players.

The key benefit for Philadelphia in a Foles trade would be removing his salary cap charge from its 2018 books. At present, the Eagles are a projected $9.5MM over the cap next season, so clearing $5.2MM by trading Foles would be the club’s first step towards getting right with the cap.

East Notes: Giants, Foles, Patriots

January 28th, 2018 at 9:46am CST by Rory Parks

New Giants head coach Pat Shurmur and GM Dave Gettleman — in stark contract to their predecessors at this time last year — recognize that Big Blue needs to make significant improvements to its O-line in order to return to contention in 2018, as Paul Schwartz of the New York Post writes. Schwartz views the rapid improvement that the Vikings’ O-line made from 2016 to 2017, in large part due to heavy free agent and draft investment, as an indication that New York will be able to make a similar jump under Shurmur.

Justin Pugh and Weston Richburg are unrestricted free agents and there is no guarantee that either will be re-signed, John Jerry can be cut without many salary cap implications, and the new regime has no connection to Ereck Flowers, so the Giants’ line will be in for a major overhaul, and Schwartz thinks Shurmur is the right man to lead that change.

Now for more notes from the league’s east divisions:

Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets that Shurmur was able to retain Giants assistant offensive line coach Lunda Wells, who also garnered interest from the Raiders and other teams. New York will promote Wells to tight ends coach. In addition, the team is expected to retain RB coach Craig Johnson, per Schwartz (via Twitter).
Carson Wentz believes he will be ready for the start of the 2018 season, which is already leading to speculation as to what the Eagles will do with Nick Foles, who has guided the team to a berth in Super Bowl LII in Wentz’s absence. Jimmy Kempski of the PhillyVoice says the team’s medical staff also believes Wentz will be available when Week 1 of the 2018 season rolls around, and Foles will count for $7.6MM against the cap in 2018, the last year of his current deal. Rather than let Foles leave in free agency after 2018, Kempski speculates that Philadelphia could trade Foles to a QB-needy team this offseason. Of course, the Eagles have the luxury of simply holding onto one of the best backups in the league if they do not get an offer they like.
Patriots QB Tom Brady had an appointment earlier this week to remove the 12 stitches on his throwing hand that he played with in the AFC Championship Game last Sunday, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Brady is expected to be fully healthy for Super Bowl LII.
James Harrison has given the Patriots‘ defense a nice boost since joining the team on December 26, and the 39-year-old said he does not intend to retire at the end of the season. Per Mike Reiss of ESPN.com, Harrison says he may want to play for up to two more years.
Assuming the Jets are not able to land Josh Rosen or Sam Darnold in this year’s draft, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com believes Gang Green would prefer Josh Allen over Baker Mayfield (Twitter link). Although Allen may be more raw than Rosen or Darnold, some believe he has the highest ceiling of any signal-caller in the draft.

NFC Notes: Burton, Foles, Saints, Floyd

December 17th, 2017 at 9:36pm CST by GregGoldstein

Trey Burton has been a quality under-the-radar performer for the Eagles this season and he could find himself with a very robust market entering free agency this offseason, opines Mike Garafolo of NFL.com in a video on Twitter.

Burton, 26, has produced solid numbers as the backup to one of the best tight ends in the game in Zach Ertz. However, the former undrafted free agent has stepped up when Ertz has been banged up. Garafolo notes that Burton has caught three touchdown passes in the last two games, when Ertz has not been 100%.

Coming from the University of Florida, Burton didn’t really have a position entering the draft, but has seemingly found a role as a versatile tight end/receiver in the Philadelphia offensive scheme. The tight end market is not very deep either, with their being a noticeable dip after the likes of Jimmy Graham and Tyler Eifert. Given his recent play, you can expect Burton could be a name that gets more money than you may expect given his relative lack of a track record.

Let’s take a look at more notes throughout the NFC:

Nick Foles led the Eagles to victory over the Giants in his first start since Carson Wentz was lost for the season. It was an encouraging performance for the former third round pick, who pondered retirement just two years ago, reports Reuben Frank of NBC Sports Philadelphia. It was after the 2015 season when the quarterback really gave some thought to hanging it up. “Yes, I sat there and talked with my wife,” Foles said. “You go through a lot of emotions. Changing teams, being traded, going there, going through that year, and once I was a free agent, we just sort of sat there and said, ‘Hey what do we want to do?'” Nick Foles eventually decided to stay in the league and was a backup for a season in Kansas City before making his way to the Eagles this past offseason. Foles has a bit of a track record in the league and is looking to continue to build on his rebound story in the playoffs.
The Saints lost a few players to injury during their win over the Jets on Sunday afternoon. Guard Larry Warford and tight end Michael Hoomanawanui both were forced to leave the game with concussions, according to Joel Erickson of The New Orleans Advocate. Erickson adds that guard Andrus Peat was also active to start the contest, but was held out because of a groin injury. He was available in an emergency role, with backup guards Senio Kelemete and Josh LeRibeus taken the starting sports when both starting offensive lineman were unable to play. Hopefully all three players will recover fully for the team’s critical Week 16 affair against the Falcons. The game will have major implications to who ultimately will win the ultra-competitive NFC South.
Vikings wide receiver Michael Floyd expressed that he is more at peace and hopes to be back in Minnesota next year, in a deep diving piece from Chris Tomasson of the Twin Cities Pioneer Press. “I would like to stay here, for sure,” Floyd said. “I love this place.” While the former Cardinals and Pats wideout has seemingly got his life together, it’s an uphill battle considering the quality depth of the position on the team, which includes Stefon Diggs, Adam Thielen, Laquon Treadwell and Jarius Wright.

NFC East Notes: Cousins, Foles, Cowboys

August 29th, 2017 at 5:25pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The record-setting contract extension the Lions awarded quarterback Matthew Stafford on Monday will raise Redskins signal-caller Kirk Cousins‘ asking price and make it even more difficult for the team to re-sign him at season’s end, Mike Jones of the Washington Post points out. With Cousins scheduled to hit free agency next winter, the Redskins could place the franchise tag on him for a third straight year if there’s no deal in place prior to free agency, but that would mean guaranteeing him upward of $34MM. Jones expects the Redskins to apply the transition tag for a lesser cost – $28MM – and ultimately lose Cousins to a team willing to give him a massive long-term deal. The Redskins wouldn’t be entitled to any compensation in that scenario.

West Notes: Broncos, Raiders, Chiefs, Hawks

March 28th, 2017 at 8:37pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Broncos want to bring in a third quarterback, but that player is likely to be either a young veteran or a draft pick, head coach Vance Joseph tells Mike Klis of 9News (Twitter links). Denver is apparently content to allow Trevor Siemian and Paxton Lynch battle it out for the starting QB job, meaning any new addition would be a third-stringer. Tony Romo, meanwhile, is looking like less of an option, as the Broncos are reportedly backing off their pursuit of the Cowboys signal-caller.

Here’s more from the NFL’s two West divisions:

After losing defensive tackle Stacy McGee in free agency, Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie admits his team may bring in another piece up front, as Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle tweets. Currently, Oakland boasts Khalil Mack, Jihad Ward, Dan Williams, Mario Edwards, restricted free agent Denico Autry, and others along the defensive line. Johnathan Hankins, Jared Odrick, and Vance Walker rank as PFR’s best remaining interior defenders.
The Chiefs‘ decision to decline their option on backup quarterback Nick Foles was purely cap-related, head coach Andy Reid tells Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star. Foles’ 2017 option was worth $6.75MM, an untenable figure for the Chiefs given that even now they only have $3MM in cap space. While Foles has since signed a two-year, $11MM with the Eagles, Kansas City currently has Tyler Bray behind starting quarterback Alex Smith.
Although Seahawks corner Pierre Desir had an opportunity to sign with the Lions last season, he opted to stick on Seattle’s practice squad and has since been re-signed on a futures deal, according to Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (all Twitter links). Seahawks general manager John Schneider pointed to Desir, Neiko Thorpe, and Tampa Bay import Bradley McDougald as key depth pieces that can fill out the secondary.
Free agent signee Oday Aboushi will begin his Seahawks tenure at right guard, which means Seattle is set to try 2016 first-round pick Germain Ifedii at right tackle, tweets Condotta. Ifedi played tackle at Texas A&M, but shifted to right guard during his rookie campaign. The results were near disastrous, as Ifedi graded as the single worst guard in the NFL, per Pro Football Focus.

Contract Details: Foles, Carr, Poe, Cowboys

March 17th, 2017 at 5:28pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Here’s a fun fact from Albert Breer of The MMQB (Twitter links): Of the 155 free-agent contracts that have been filed since March 9, only 23 have more than $3MM fully guaranteed in post-2017 money. In essence, that means 85.2% of the contracts done over the last ten days are one-year deals with team options.

Now for the latest contract details:

Cornerback Brandon Carr‘s four-year, $23MM Ravens contract comes with $6MM in 2017 – most of which is by way of a $4MM signing bonus – and then the Ravens will have a 2018 team option, reports Breer (on Twitter).
Falcons defensive tackle Dontari Poe‘s one-year, $8MM accord features a $500K signing bonus and incentives for playing time, sacks and a Pro Bowl appearance (Twitter link via Breer).
Quarterback Nick Foles‘ previously reported two-year, $11MM deal with the Eagles is actually a five-year, $27.5MM pact, according to Ben Volin of the Boston Globe. However, the final three years of the contract will void if Foles is still on Philadelphia’s roster 23 days before the start of the 2019 league year. The arrangement comes with $5MM in incentives and an esclator for 2018 worth as much as $6MM (Twitter links).
Panthers defensive tackle Kyle Love‘s two-year contract is worth $2.2MM and features a few bonuses – $200K for signing, $25K for workouts and $10K per game active – as well as $500K in annual incentives, tweets Wilson.
Cowboys running back Darren McFadden‘s one-year contract is a minimum salary benefit deal worth $980K (a salary of $900K and an $80K signing bonus). Guard Jonathan Cooper‘s single-year accord is worth $2MM and has a $31,250 bonus per game active, $500K in incentives and a $100K workout base de-esclator (Twitter links via Wilson).
Cardinals running back/wide receiver Andre Ellington will earn a $775K base salary on his one-year agreement, tweets Mike Jurecki of FOX Sports 910.
Redskins defensive tackle Ziggy Hood’s two-year, $2.7MM deal includes a $300K signing bonus, per-game active bonuses of $15,625 each, $600K in incentives and a $600K escalator. Meanwhile, the Redskins gave linebacker Chris Carter a minimum salary benefit deal worth $855K, including $775K in salary and a signing bonus of $80K, relays Wilson (Twitter links).
Saints running back Travaris Cadet also got a minimum salary benefit contract for 2017, says Wilson (Twitter link). It’s worth $855K ($775K in salary and an $80K signing bonus).

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Load More Posts