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Nick Foles

NFC Notes: Eagles, Rams, Foles, Vikings

August 12th, 2016 at 5:48pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Eagles are making plans to find a replacement for right tackle Lane Johnson if his potential 10-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs becomes a reality, head coach Doug Pederson said after the team’s Thursday preseason opener. “It may be somebody that hasn’t played there this spring or this summer,” Pederson told Marcus Hayes of the Philadelphia Inquirer. “It could be a guy who has already been there. We’ve got time to figure this out.”

Among the Eagles’ in-house options are Dennis Kelly and Matt Tobin – as Roster Resource shows – but Pederson isn’t overly enthusiastic about either faring well as a starter, per Hayes. Regardless, Pederson doesn’t expect to add anyone from outside the organization. “We’ve got the bodies,” he stated.

Johnson would be extremely difficult to replace, of course, having started in each of his 44 career appearances. Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked the 6-foot-6, 317-pounder 22nd among 77 qualified tackles in overall performance last season, and the Eagles subsequently awarded him a hefty extension through 2021.

More from the NFC:

  • When he was a member of the Rams in 2015, quarterback Nick Foles‘ need for “extra coddling” and “a lot of back-patting” became an annoyance to their staff, per Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports (Twitter links). Given both that and Foles’ bottom-of-the-barrel performance last season, the Rams released the 27-year-old in July, but only after paying him a $6MM roster bonus in March and then failing to find a taker via trade. Foles ended up signing with Kansas City as a free agent.
  • The Vikings have 60 percent of their starting offensive line in place with left tackle Matt Kalil, left guard Alex Boone and right tackle Andre Smith, but there’s uncertainty at center and right guard, writes Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune. The mystery illness that has sidelined Mike Harris, who started all of the Vikings’ games at right guard last season, has subtracted one option in training camp, leaving Brandon Fusco and John Sullivan to take reps there. Sullivan slid from center, where he’s competing with 2015 No. 1 Joe Berger for a starting role, to right guard Thursday as a result of an injury to Fusco, notes Vensel. If Sullivan – who missed all of last season with a back injury – wins the center job, Berger could theoretically beat out Fusco at guard, Vensel writes. It’s worth mentioning that Berger was PFF’s second-ranked center in 2015, when he graded as the best run blocker at his position.
  • Former Oakland middle linebacker Miles Burris recently worked out for the Seahawks, reports Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter). A fourth-round pick from San Diego State in 2012, Burris has logged 38 appearances and 31 starts in the NFL. The last time Burris saw action in the league, 2014, he started all 16 of the Raiders’ games and totaled 110 tackles.
  • The Falcons are working out free agent quarterback Seth Lobato, according to a source who spoke with Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (on Twitter). Since going undrafted out of Northern Colorado in 2014, Lobato has spent time with Indianapolis, Miami and Tampa Bay, but he hasn’t appeared in an NFL game.
  • In news that came as no surprise, the Cowboys revealed earlier Friday that they have no interest in free agent quarterback Johnny Manziel.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

AFC West Notes: Chiefs, Bosa, Sanchez

August 10th, 2016 at 6:37pm CST by Sam Robinson

John Dorsey is confident Eric Berry will show up at some point for the Chiefs‘ training camp in St. Joseph, Mo., which runs through August 18, Adam Teicher of ESPN.com reports.

“The agent has said … at some juncture during this course he will show up here,” Dorsey said. “I haven’t talked to Eric one on one about when he’s going to show up. Knowing what a prideful professional he is, I think he will show up at the appropriate time.”

Dorsey and the Chiefs weren’t able to work out an extension with the two-time All-Pro safety, and Berry is among a few high-profile Chiefs not participating in training camp. Berry’s absence leaves the Chiefs with only Ron Parker back from their strong core of safeties from 2015, a group that included since-retired Husain Abdullah and current Cardinal Tyvon Branch.

Berry has yet to sign his $10.86MM franchise tender and as late as July 26, the 27-year-old defender was not expected to report to camp. Since he hasn’t signed the tender, he’s not obligated to do so, leaving the Chiefs thin at safety.

Here’s more from the Chiefs and their division rivals.

  • Dorsey, though, was confident that Jamaal Charles would be ready by Week 1, with the fourth-year GM’s stance on Justin Houston was much murkier, according to Blair Kerkhoff of the Kansas City Star. Dorsey referred to Charles as “ahead of schedule” despite the running back undergoing knee surgery last October, and he sees the eighth-year starter practicing within a couple of weeks. As for Houston, Dorsey did not want to offer a prospective return date like he did with Charles. After undergoing knee surgery in February, Houston is expected to miss the start of the season.
  • Nick Foles‘ deal is worth $1.25MM this season, with no signing bonus included, Terez Paylor of the Star reports. However, the fifth-year quarterback will earn a $200K roster bonus if he makes the 53-man team, as he’s expected to. The Chiefs hold a team option for Foles, who would see his price rise significantly if the Chiefs pick it up. At a $10.4MM base, Foles’ 2017 salary seems contingent on him becoming the starter. Since that’s not in the Chiefs’ plans as of now, with Alex Smith signed through 2018, it’s unlikely Kansas City picks up that option.
  • Joey Bosa‘s camp made the last offer in the edge defender’s impasse with the Chargers, putting the ball in San Diego’s court, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk tweets. The sides are still believed to be haggling over offset language and the structure of Bosa’s signing bonus.
  • Trevor Siemian has looked the best this offseason for the Broncos, per Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). But sources within the organization informed him the team will likely start Mark Sanchez in Week 1 due to his experience. However, the Broncos won’t be afraid to make a switch to Siemian if he continues to show them more than seventh-round picks typically do. Siemian is slated to play the second quarter of the Broncos’ preseason opener on Thursday.
  • Projected to be the Broncos’ right guard starter after moving from right to left tackle last year, Ty Sambrailo is now expected to miss the preseason due to an elbow injury he sustained in late July, according to Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post. The Broncos are thin behind Sambrailo after losing starters Evan Mathis (in free agency) and Louis Vasquez (cut) from their Super Bowl championship lineup, placing Sambrailo and Max Garcia in at guard. But the team is now using Darrion Weems, a fifth-year player but one who hasn’t suited up for a game since doing so with the 2013 Cowboys, in relief. Swing tackle Michael Schofield is also working sporadically at right guard in Sambrailo’s stead.

West Notes: Osweiler, Elway, Broncos, Foles

August 9th, 2016 at 10:55am CST by Dallas Robinson

In a recent interview, Broncos GM John Elway indicated that Brock Osweiler was none too pleased when he got the hook in favor of Peyton Manning last season.

“I can understand that he didn’t want to sit down and have Peyton come back in that San Diego game, but it wasn’t the fact that Brock was playing bad,” Elway said (via Nicki Jhabvala of The Denver Post). “We needed a change of something. So I was a little surprised just how he seemed to be a little bent out of shape about that. But he had an opportunity to make a tremendous amount of money in Houston, and for us, it just didn’t fit.”

Given Elway’s view of Osweiler, one has to wonder exactly how much he wanted to re-sign him. This offseason, Osweiler signed a four-year, $72MM deal with the Texans with $37MM in guarantees. The Broncos, meanwhile, only offered Osweiler ~$64MM with $30MM in guarantees.

Here’s more from the West divisions:

  • Osweiler responded to Elway on Monday (link via ESPN.com’s Sarah Barshop). “The only thing I would say is what kind of competitor wouldn’t want to play in that situation?” the former Broncos QB said. “Outside of that, I think I’ve answered all of those questions, we’re now in August, we just had a great training camp practice, and I’m excited to play the 49ers coming up.”
  • Nick Foles agreed to lower his guaranteed 2016 base salary in order to secure his release from the Rams, accepting $1MM from Los Angeles rather than the $1.75MM he was scheduled to earn. But as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes, Foles will make up that difference if he earns a spot on the Chiefs‘ roster, as he’ll earn that same $1.75MM amount on his new contract. Foles’ deal with the Rams contained offset language, Florio suggests, and Los Angeles be able to will clear Foles off their salary cap if he makes the Chiefs.
  • Cardinals tackle Jared Veldheer converted $6MM of his $7.25MM base salary into a signing bonus, creating $4MM of cap space for the team, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. That gave the team enough wiggle room to give Larry Fitzgerald and Carson Palmer one-year extensions last week.

Dallas Robinson contributed to this post.

West Notes: Cardinals, Chiefs, Chargers

August 5th, 2016 at 7:44pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The contract extensions the Cardinals awarded quarterback Carson Palmer and future Hall of Fame receiver Larry Fitzgerald on Friday extend the team’s Super Bowl window beyond this season, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com contends. As an added benefit, the Cardinals now have extra time to find a successor to the 36-year-old Palmer, and they no longer have to worry about losing two of their top wideouts – Fitzgerald and free agent-to-be Michael Floyd – at season’s end. Worst-case scenario, the Cardinals’ receiving corps will still contain Fitzgerald and John Brown in 2017.

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

  • Palmer’s deal with the Cardinals features a $6.75MM signing bonus and fully guarantees his $15.5MM salary and bonus for 2017, according to Dan Graziano of ESPN.com. On the other hand, neither Palmer’s $12.5MM salary nor $1.5MM roster bonus for 2018 are guaranteed.
  • The Chiefs‘ signing of Nick Foles has no impact on Alex Smith‘s short- or long-term future with the club, according to head coach Andy Reid (via Adam Teicher of ESPN.com). “It’s Alex’s football team,” Reid said. “Nick knows that it’s Alex’s team. Alex knows it’s Alex’s team.” Foles, who was next to Reid, echoed that sentiment. Smith is under contract through 2018 after signing a four-year extension in September 2014.
  • The four-year extension the Chargers gave receiver Keenan Allen in June is the team’s best deal, opines Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap. Allen’s contract is worth $45MM, including $20.7MM in guarantees, which Fitzgerald regards as a bargain for a 24-year-old who has averaged 93 catches, 1,104 yards and seven touchdowns per 16 games during his three seasons in the NFL. Conversely, the four-year, $28MM pact the Chargers handed left tackle King Dunlap last offseason is their worst, writes Fitzgerald, who argues the Bolts made an unnecessary commitment (including $8.5MM in guarantees) to a player who only should’ve been a stopgap.
  • In other Friday news, Oakland waived pass rusher Damontre Moore, San Francisco lost receiver Eric Rogers for the season and Kansas City agreed to a deal with safety Jeron Johnson.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Chiefs Sign Nick Foles

August 5th, 2016 at 8:39am CST by Zachary Links

The Chiefs formally announced that they have reached agreement on a deal with free agent quarterback Nick Foles, Foles is now reunited with Andy Reid, his coach in the early part of his time with the Eagles.Nick Foles (vertical)

Foles will earn $1.75MM this year, plus incentives, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. He’ll get a team option for the second year, which ranges between $6.75MM-$16MM based on his 2016 performance.

When Chase Daniel left KC to join the Eagles, the Chiefs did not replace him with a veteran this offseason. Instead, Kansas City’s quarterback corps behind Alex Smith consisted of three signal-callers who never attempted an NFL pass. Now, that has changed as the Chiefs have an experienced QB in Foles to hold down the No. 2 job.

Foles, a former third-round pick, had his breakout season in 2013 under Reid replacement Chip Kelly when he threw for 2,891 yards, 27 touchdowns and only two interceptions for the Eagles. A broken collar bone ended his 2014 season, and the 27-year-old finished with 2,163 yards, 13 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in eight games.

After Kellen Moore suffered a broken ankle, many believed that Foles would be Dallas-bound. The Cowboys and Vikings both made offers to Foles, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter), but the Chiefs jumped into the mix late on Thursday night and surprised everyone by signing the veteran QB.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Chiefs Join Nick Foles Pursuit

August 3rd, 2016 at 8:19pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Chiefs have joined the Nick Foles pursuit, emerging as a “sleeper team” vying for the services of the former Eagles and Rams quarterback, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter).

The Cowboys are the most connected to Foles thus far, with executive VP Stephen Jones confirming the team has engaged in talks with the recently released passer’s agent. Kansas City, though, has a similar issue on its quarterback depth chart.

After Chase Daniel‘s departure to the Eagles, the Chiefs did not opt to replace him with a veteran this offseason. Instead, Kansas City’s quarterback corps behind Alex Smith consists of three signal-callers who have never attempted an NFL pass in a regular-season game.

Both Tyler Bray and Aaron Murray have been with the franchise for at least two years, Bray arriving as a UDFA in 2013 and Murray joining the team a year later as a fifth-round pick. Kevin Hogan arriving as a fifth-round pick this year makes the Chiefs even more dependent on Smith’s health since none of their three reserve options is proven to be viable at this point.

Smith hasn’t put the Chiefs in the same type of predicament Romo placed the Cowboys in last season, though. He’s started all but two regular-season games in his three years in western Missouri and missed just one, Week 17 in 2014, due to injury.

Andy Reid also coached the Eagles when they drafted Foles, in the third round of the 2012 draft, making the fit even more logical. Kansas City, though, does not possess much cap space after failing to reach an extension with Eric Berry and lower his cap number this season. The Chiefs sit at $1.37MM in space, which represents the second-smallest number in the league.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Cowboys Interested In Nick Foles, Other QBs

August 3rd, 2016 at 2:30pm CST by Zachary Links

2:30pm: The Cowboys are considering other free agent options, including Jimmy Clausen, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).

For what it’s worth, the Bucs reportedly are not shopping Glennon, nor have they received calls on him as of late.

2:08pm: Cowboys executive Vice President Stephen Jones said the Cowboys have been in talks with the agent for free agent quarterback Nick Foles, as Todd Archer of ESPN.com tweets. However, the team is looking at multiple options to replace Moore. Jones said the Cowboys want to sign a backup QB “sooner rather than later,” but they want to get it right too.

1:47pm: The Cowboys are one of a handful of teams in on Foles, sources tell Mike Garafolo of NFL Network (on Twitter). He could sign somewhere as early as today, Garafolo adds.

9:15am: The Cowboys are back in the market for a veteran quarterback. Following Kellen Moore‘s ankle fracture, the Cowboys are considering Nick Foles as an option and discussing trades for other QBs, according to Ed Werder of ESPN.com. Josh McCown of the Browns and Buccaneers QB Mike Glennon could also be considered by Dallas. Nick Foles (vertical)

[RELATED: Cowboys QB Kellen Moore Suffers Injury]

Recently, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones shot down the notion that the Cowboys would contact Foles, saying that the club would instead turn to its internal options. However, Moore’s injury has changed everything. With Tony Romo‘s primary backup sidelined, Dallas is left with only rookie Dak Prescott and 2015 UDFA addition Jameill Showers. If the Cowboys still intend on the recovering Romo taking every third practice session off, they’ll need to add a capable QB quickly.

McCown‘s status with the Browns has been in some dispute with some reports indicating that the club would only trade McCown if they received a tremendous offer. Meanwhile, other roster projections have had McCown left off of the 53-man roster. After waiving Connor Shaw earlier this summer, the Browns now field Robert Griffin III, McCown, Austin Davis, and third-round rookie Cody Kessler on their depth chart, as Roster Resource shows. McCown was thought to be a trade candidate earlier this offseason, with the Broncos among the teams that reportedly expressed interest. If Cleveland ends up releasing McCown, the team would save nearly $3.4MM on its salary cap.

Glennon, the backup to Jameis Winston, has not played since 2014 and was speculated as a trade target for quarterback-needy teams this spring. The 2013 third-round pick is entering his contract year and may view the Cowboys as a team that would give him a better chance to play given Romo’s health issues. The Bucs reportedly turned down a second-round pick for Glennon in March.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Cowboys QB Kellen Moore Breaks Leg

August 3rd, 2016 at 10:29am CST by Dallas Robinson

WEDNESDAY, 10:29am: Moore is scheduled for surgery later today to repair the fracture in his right leg, Ed Werder of ESPN.com tweets. The team expects that he will miss 3-4 months.

With Moore sidelined, the Cowboys are looking into Nick Foles and other quarterback options.

TUESDAY, 10:22pm: The Cowboys already had one of the worst backup quarterback situations in the league, and now their depth chart has been depleted even further, as backup QB Kellen Moore broke his ankle at practice tonight, owner Jerry Jones confirmed to reporters, including Todd Archer of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Jones did not provide a timeline for Moore’s recovery, or indicate whether he would require surgery."<strong

[RELATED: Latest on Rolando McClain‘s substance abuse issue]

Dallas now looks like a prime destination for former Rams/Eagles quarterback Nick Foles, who was released by Los Angeles last week after agreeing to accept a lower guaranteed salary in 2016. Initial reports indicated that the Cowboys were among several teams — along with the Vikings and Bills — that could have some interest in signing Foles, and as many as 10 clubs might place a call to the free agent signal-caller. But Jones denied that the Cowboys would contact Foles, saying that the club would instead turn to its internal options.

“Foles isn’t an option. We wouldn’t get him any snaps. We got four that are going to get the snaps,” the Cowboys owner and GM said, referring to Tony Romo, Moore, Dak Prescott and Jameill Showers.

Despite that statement, the Cowboys were one of two teams (along with the Bills) that discussed a Foles trade before the draft, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link), so Dallas clearly has at least some level of interest in Foles. And as Ed Werder of ESPN.com adds (via Twitter), the Cowboys will need to add another quarterback quickly, given that Romo is scheduled to take every third practice session off as he recovers from surgery.

Besides Moore, none of the options behind Romo have ever taken an NFL snap, and the Cowboys witnessed last year how a Romo injury can wreck a season, as Dallas posted a 1-11 record when Romo was not in the lineup. Even if the don’t pursue Foles, it’s difficult to imagine that the Cowboys won’t target a veteran quarterback in the coming days, and other free agents still sitting on the open market include Michael Vick, Matt Flynn, Josh Freeman, T.J. Yates, Charlie Whitehurst, and Tarvaris Jackson, whom it was announced today will not face charges following a June domestic dispute.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Chip Kelly: 49ers Won’t Sign Nick Foles

August 1st, 2016 at 2:00pm CST by Zachary Links

It wasn’t long ago that Chip Kelly and quarterback Nick Foles enjoyed success together, but the duo won’t be reuniting. In a radio interview on Monday morning, Kelly said that the 49ers will not pursue the free agent quarterback. Nick Foles/Chip Kelly (vertical)

[RELATED: Cowboys Not Interested In Nick Foles Either]

“I’m a big fan of Nick, but right now, our eggs are in Kap and Blaine’s basket,” Kelly said on KNBR 680-AM, via Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News, referring to Colin Kaepernick and Blaine Gabbert. “We’re going to see what those guys can do and we’re very confident in both those guys. That’s really got nothing to do with Nick, but it’s got a lot to do with Blaine and Kap in giving them an ample shot at being the quarterback. If you have three guys in the mix, it gets really diluted and now you’re not going to get enough reps for anybody to make a determination on who the quarterback should be.”

Foles, a former third-round pick, had his breakout season under Kelly in 2013, when he threw for 2,891 yards, 27 touchdowns and only two interceptions for the Eagles. A broken collar bone ended his 2014 season, and the 27-year-old finished with 2,163 yards, 13 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in eight games.

Still, Kelly says that SF will focus on the quarterbacks they already have in-house. In addition to Kaepernick and Gabbert, the Niners also have Thaddeus Lewis and rookie Jeff Driskel on the 90-man roster, as shown on Roster Resource.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Cowboys Not Interested In Nick Foles

July 29th, 2016 at 4:05pm CST by Zachary Links

Apparently, the Cowboys are content to go into 2016 with Kellen Moore as their No. 2 quarterback. Speaking to reporters today, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said that Dallas will not be pursuing free agent quarterback Nick Foles, as Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News writes. Nick Foles (vertical)

[RELATED: Latest On Cowboys’ Rolando McClain]

“Foles isn’t an option. We wouldn’t get him any snaps. We got four that are going to get the snaps,” the Cowboys owner and GM said, referring to Tony Romo, Moore, Dak Prescott and Jameill Showers.

COO Stephen Jones went a step further, saying that the Cowboys aren’t going to look for outside help at all at QB.

“At some point you have to develop guys,” the younger Jones said Friday. “I think Cincinnati last year had a really solid football team. You look at what they did with A.J. [McCarron], a fourth-round pick out of the SEC. He came in and had every opportunity and — nothing to do with him — had a chance to win a playoff game for them.”

Last year, when the Cowboys had to rely on Moore, Matt Cassel, and Brandon Weeden, they went 1-11. After seeing what can happen without Romo in the lineup, many assumed that Foles would be a natural fit following his release.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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