HEADLINES

Nick Foles

Vikings QB Taylor Heinicke Out For 3 Months

July 29th, 2016 at 10:07am CST by Zachary Links

Vikings quarterback Taylor Heinicke is expected to start the season on the non-football injury list after severing a tendon in his left foot, as ESPN.com’s Ben Goessling writes. The Old Dominion product reportedly suffered the injury while trying to help a friend get back into his apartment earlier this month. Taylor Heinicke (vertical)

[RELATED: Q&A With Vikings Reporter Darren Wolfson]

Heinicke, in the process of being a helpful friend, apparently tried to kick open the door like Michael Chiklis on The Shield and gave himself a serious injury. There was no foul play or substance abuse involved in the incident, a source tells Goessling. The Vikings signed Heinicke as a UDFA last year and he managed to make the team as the No. 3 QB after an impressive preseason showing. Heinicke was said to be looking good in practice this year before the unfortunate injury.

With Heinicke potentially out until November, one has to wonder if Minnesota could have extra motivation to pursue free agent QB Nick Foles. Foles, released by the Rams on Wednesday, was quickly linked to the Vikings as well as the Cowboys. Last night, Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News reported that there were ten teams doing their due diligence on the 27-year-old.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Three Teams In Lead For Nick Foles?

July 28th, 2016 at 7:14pm CST by Zachary Links

7:14pm: There are approximately 10 teams, including the Vikings, doing their due diligence on Foles, according to Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News (Twitter link). Foles is “laying low” and could take a few days to make a decision, per Wolfson, who adds that a deal isn’t close.

1:47pm: Foles is eyeing a one or two-year deal, according to Cole (video link).

10:10am: Despite reports to the contrary, Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News (on Twitter) hears that the Bills aren’t among the teams interested in signing Foles.

7:53am: Nick Foles became a free agent on Wednesday and his market emerged pretty quickly. Foles is likely to sign with the Vikings, Bills, or Cowboys, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (on Twitter) hears. Cole adds that the Jets also expressed interest in Foles, though it’s not immediately clear if there is still room for the veteran after Ryan Fitzpatrick re-signed with the club on Wednesday night. "<strong

The Vikings currently have veteran Shaun Hill and rising sophomore Taylor Heinicke behind starter Teddy Bridgewater. Hill, 36, offers plenty of experience, but Minnesota may prefer Foles as their veteran backup. Alternatively, they could add Foles and likely sneak Heinicke, a UDFA out of Old Dominion, on to the practice squad.

The Bills drafted Cardale Jones this year as a backup for starter Tyrod Taylor and although E.J. Manuel has been bumped from the No. 1 role, the team has been high on him as an understudy.

“I’m not done with EJ Manuel, either (as a backup to Taylor),” coach Rex Ryan said in February. “I think EJ’s got the talent, the size and all that stuff. Sometimes, guys just take a little bit longer to develop, so we’ll see how that goes.”

The Cowboys surprised some observers this offseason when they did not address add a veteran backup quarterback, opting instead to stick with Kellen Moore, draft Dak Prescott out of Mississippi State, and add 2015 UDFA Jameill Showers. Last year, Dallas rolled out Moore, Matt Cassel, and Brandon Weeden while Tony Romo was sidelined and they had a 1-11 record to show for it. Of the four teams mentioned by Cole, the Cowboys arguably make the most sense for Foles.

The Broncos, meanwhile, have no interest in adding Foles, coach Gary Kubiak said in a radio interview (Twitter link via James Palmer of NFL.com).

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Rams To Release Nick Foles

July 27th, 2016 at 2:59pm CST by Zachary Links

2:59pm: Foles agreed to accept a lower guaranteed salary from the Rams in 2016 to win his release and be free to sign with any team, Ed Werder of ESPN.com tweets. The Rams have confirmed the move via press release.

2:38pm: The Rams are expected to release quarterback Nick Foles, sources tell Mike Garafolo of NFL Network (on Twitter). The team was looking to trade the signal caller, but a deal never materialized. As a vested veteran, Foles will not be subject to waivers and will immediately become a free agent. Foles requested his release from the Rams and the team granted it, Garafolo adds (on Twitter). Nick Foles (vertical)

Foles, 27, drew trade interest around draft time, but ultimately wasn’t moved. Albert Breer of The MMQB recently reported that Los Angeles was holding onto Foles for the time being in the hopes that he could accrue more value as training camp drew near. Apparently, that never happened for L.A.

Because the Rams already paid out Foles’ guaranteed $6MM roster bonus, an acquiring club only would have been on the hook for Foles’ $1.75MM base salary — a palatable figure for a backup quarterback. If any clubs did show serious interest in Foles, then they were unwilling to give up assets in addition to paying that modest salary. As an unencumbered free agent, Foles can be expected to field calls from multiple teams with question marks on the QB depth chart.

Acquired by the Rams in the trade that sent Sam Bradford to the Eagles, the two quarterbacks have wound up in strikingly similar situations. Last offseason, Foles inked a two-year, $24.5MM extension that included nearly $13.8MM in guarantees. Foles opened the season as the starter under center in 2015 but was benched in favor of Case Keenum after throwing seven touchdowns against six interceptions.

Late last month, PFR’s Dallas Robinson ran down seven teams that could have interest in Foles. The Cowboys – who ran through several QBs in 2015 – were among the clubs cited as potential suitors. One also has to imagine that the Jets could express interest given their murky quarterback situation.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Extra Points: Foles, Redskins, Orr

July 17th, 2016 at 12:29pm CST by Rory Parks

Nick Foles, currently listed as the Rams‘ No. 3 quarterback on the team’s depth chart (per Roster Resource), is a prime trade candidate, and as Vincent Bonsignore of The Los Angeles Daily News tweets, nothing has changed in that regard. Bonsignore notes that, barring a last-second trade, the plan is to bring Foles to training camp and to wait for another club to have a need open up at quarterback as a result of injury or underperformance. At that time, Los Angeles hopes to deal Foles to such a quarterback-needy team. And, because the Rams already paid out Foles’ guaranteed $6MM roster bonus, an acquiring club would only be on the hook for Foles’ $1.75MM base salary, which is certainly a palatable figure for a backup quarterback. Also, since the $6MM roster bonus is already a sunk cost, the Rams could simply cut Foles if they cannot find a trade partner during camp.

Now let’s take a look at a few more notes from around the league:

  • The Redskins‘ cornerback competition will be a fascinating one to watch this summer, as Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com writes. Tandler observes that the maximum number of corners Washington can keep without creating a major numbers squeeze elsewhere is five, and Josh Norman, Bashaud Breeland, Kendall Fuller, and Quinton Dunbar are all virtual locks to make the club. That means that the team will have to cut a player it would prefer to keep, or else try to sneak such a player onto its practice squad. Dashaun Phillips, Greg Toler, and rookie Lloyd Carrington will all battle for that fifth spot, and Toler is the only member of that trio without practice squad eligibility.
  • Ravens‘ third-year inside linebacker Zach Orr will be under the microscope in training camp, as Clifton Brown of CSNMidAtlantic.com writes. Orr is currently the favorite to start alongside fellow ILB C.J. Mosley, but despite the fact that his playing time increased late in the 2015 season, he is still largely unproven. If he should struggle, the Ravens could turn to Albert McClellan, Arthur Brown, or (more likely) a free agent.
  • After Isaiah Crowell made headlines for all the wrong reasons last week, many Browns fans have clamored for his release. Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer, however, confirmed that Cleveland will not cut Crowell at this time. She says the club believes his public apology was sincere and adds that the Browns will give him a chance to be part part of the solution instead of the problem. Crowell will be donating $35K to the Dallas Fallen Officer Foundation and will continue doing “other things in the community” to atone for his mistake.
  • Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com continues his ongoing series on each club’s best and worst contracts. In his opinion, Tashaun Gipson‘s five-year, $36MM deal is the most team-friendly contract on the Jaguars‘ books, while Julius Thomas‘ five-year, $46MM contract is the worst.

7 Teams That Could Trade For Nick Foles

June 26th, 2016 at 9:00pm CST by Dallas Robinson

A little over 15 months ago, the Rams acquired Nick Foles from the Eagles and quickly locked him into a two-year extension worth $24.5MM, handing him more than $12MM in guaranteed money. After starting 11 games, and completing less than 57% of his passes while posting a 7:10 touchdown-to-interception ratio, Foles was benched for Case Keenum, and remained on the sidelines for the rest of season.Nick Foles (Vertical)

Given that Los Angeles traded up to acquire the No. 1 overall pick and select Jared Goff, Foles is clearly not in the club’s plans, as Keenum and 2015 draft choice Sean Mannion are projected to make the squad. Foles is unhappy with his position on the club and didn’t attend OTAs, and with the Rams exploring a trade, Foles isn’t expected to be with the team at the start of training camp — at the very least, he’ll be dealt away (or possibly released) before Week 1.

Foles, 27, drew trade interest around draft time, but ultimately wasn’t moved. Albert Breer of The MMQB recently reported that Los Angeles is holding onto Foles for the time being in the hopes that he could accrue more value as training camp approaches. An injury could spur other teams to inquire about Foles, but his contract is also a plus. Because the Rams already paid out Foles’ guaranteed $6MM roster bonus, an acquiring club would only be on the hook for Foles’ $1.75MM base salary — a palatable figure for a backup quarterback.

With that preamble out of the way, let’s take a look at a few teams that could express interest in Foles…

Dallas Cowboys — The 2015 Cowboys season showed just how valuable a backup quarterback can be, as Dallas ran through Matt Cassel, Brandon Weeden, and Kellen Moore as Tony Romo dealt with injury. That threesome posted a combined 1-11 record, leaving Cowboys fans wondering what could have been had the club had a competent No. 2 signal-caller. Moore is set to return as the backup, with fourth-round rookie Dak Prescott scheduled to handle clipboard duties, as Roster Resource shows. Foles would be an improvement over both of those options, and Dallas was one of several teams that Ian Rapoport of NFL.com linked to Foles at the beginning of the league year.

Detroit Lions — The Lions re-signed backup Dan Orlovsky this offseason, but they only handed the veteran $160K guaranteed on a one-year, minimum salary benefit contract, so they could easily move on if they were to acquire Foles. Elsewhere on the roster, Detroit boasts 2016 sixth-round pick Jake Rudock, who has yet to inspire confidence. “There’s not a phase that he has under control at this point in time,” head coach Jim Caldwell said of Rudock earlier this month. Matthew Stafford has been remarkably durable since a lost 2010 season, as he hasn’t missed a single start over the past five years, so giving up anything of value for Foles might not be worth it.

Indianapolis Colts — Like the Lions, the Colts have a somewhat reputable backup option in Scott Tolzien, whom they signed to a two-year deal that contains $500K guaranteed. Because of that amount of guaranteed cash, Indianapolis is highly unlikely to move on from Tolzien at any point this season, so they’re probably among the least likely teams on this list to go after Foles. But I included them here because Tolzien is far from a lock as a No. 2 quarterback. He’s probably gained some recognition over the years for serving as Aaron Rodgers‘ backup, but Tolzien has only attempted 91 passes during his career — most of those attempts came back in 2013, when he tossed five interceptions against just one touchdown.

Kansas City Chiefs — Andy Reid is a known developer of quarterback talent, and the Chiefs have brought in several backup options over the past couple years, investing draft capital in Kevin Hogan and Aaron Murray, while signing (and then extending) undrafted free agent Tyler Bray. The only problem? None of those signal-callers have ever taken a snap in an NFL game, which means Kansas City could be in a precarious position if Alex Smith goes down. Foles, then, would represent a bit more certainty at the No. 2 position.

New York Jets — Though negotiations between the Jets and Ryan Fitzpatrick continue to drag on, it still seems like the two sides will eventually come to an agreement. If that happens, New York clearly won’t be in the market for another quarterback. But as things currently stand, Foles would represent an upgrade over Christian Hackenberg and Bryce Petty, and is perhaps on par with fellow starting option Geno Smith. General manager Mike Maccagnan said during the draft that he wasn’t aiming to acquire another quarterback, but that was before talks with Fitzpatrick stalled.

San Francisco 49ers — Whether or not the Rams would be open to trading within their division is an open question, but Foles had the most success of his career under current 49ers head coach Chip Kelly, tossing 27 touchdowns in 2013 when the duo was with the Eagles. Still, San Francisco looks set to go forward with a competition between Colin Kaepernick and Blaine Gabbert, so Foles might not be the best fit, especially given that Kaepernick’s base salary is fully guaranteed.

Seattle Seahawks — Again, it’s not clear if Los Angeles would want to trade Foles to another team in the NFC West, but the Seahawks have very little between Russell Wilson. Tarvaris Jackson doesn’t look to be an option after being arrested on Friday, so it looks as though the club will go with undrafted free agent Trevone Boykin as their backup signal-caller. Boykin, like Wilson, offers mobility in and outside the pocket, so Seattle might prefer him to Foles, who sometimes resembles a statue under center.

Some of these clubs make more sense than others — the Cowboys, for example, stand out as a club that could certainly use an upgrade at backup quarterback. Additionally, it’s reasonable to expect that the Rams find they can’t acquire anything of value in exchange for Foles, and are instead forced to release him. If that’s the case, this list simply becomes a catalog of clubs who could express interest in signing the veteran quarterback.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Breer On RGIII, Miller, Foles, Geno Smith

June 9th, 2016 at 12:44pm CST by Zachary Links

Some would say that RGIII is coming to Cleveland with baggage, but new Browns coach Hue Jackson wouldn’t agree. "<strong

“I said this to all the players: Everybody’s slate is clean,” Jackson said, according to Albert Breer of The MMQB. “You always want to give guys the benefit of the doubt coming in, and I have not seen, heard or felt any negativity out of him. That’s the only Robert Griffin I know. He’s been an ideal teammate, a hard worker, he wants to please his coaches and he’s followed directions. That’s all I know.”

Griffin started out red hot with the Redskins before injuries and in-fighting led to his downfall. Eventually, the Redskins found their new franchise quarterback in Kirk Cousins while Griffin was on the outside looking in. Because of the stop-and-start nature of the last few years, Jackson & Co. know that they have a lot of work to do when it comes to the Baylor product.

“I’m not gonna say he’s raw, but he is still developing. And most young quarterbacks are still developing,” Jackson said. “I’d give coach (Mike) Shanahan and his son a lot of credit—he came into the league and they fashioned an offense for him that worked for him. And I’d give him credit too, coming out of the Baylor system, without the traditional footwork you play with, he produced right away. Those guys were able to mesh together a great season, but all that is in his past. It’s about mastering the quarterback position now. Mastery of how to play the position is the key to his success.”

Here’s more from Breer’s column:

  • Here’s an interesting twist to the Von Miller saga. As previously reported, if Miller opts to sit out the 2016 season, the Broncos will only be able to use the non-exclusive franchise tag on him and will not have the exclusive franchise tag at their disposal. Typically, a team that is able to pry a player away on the non-exclusive tag would have to forfeit two first-round picks to the former team. However, if Miller were to sit out, a union source tells Breer that the compensation price would drop from two first-round picks to a first and a third. I imagine that there are some teams that would at least consider forfeiting two first-round choices to land Miller, regarded as one of the best defensive talents in the game. If the price drops to a first- and third-round choice, I think that market opens up even more. Of course, any team that would sign Miller to an offer sheet would also be giving him a $100MM+ deal with significant guarantees.
  • The Rams have yet to trade Nick Foles because they believe that his trade value could increase a bit once training camp begins, Breer hears. At that point, rival teams will have injuries under center and other clubs may find that their backups aren’t coming along as planned.
  • While there is some feeling inside the Jets that they could get by with Geno Smith, many outside of the organization are skeptical. “I think they’ll struggle if [Geno is] the guy,” one rival defensive coach told Breer. “Too inconsistent, stares guys down, average at reading defenses, makes poor decisions. … Fitz is much smarter, more accurate, and a better leader.”
  • Former Baylor coach Art Briles has been linked to NFL jobs in the past but it seems unlikely that he would be in the mix for a job right now following the program’s recent scandal. However, there are factors beyond those events that could keep Briles from getting a chance in the pros. “The big-picture stuff, he’s good at,” said one AFC scout. “The detail is why his offense would fail in the NFL. His offense at Baylor is not detailed—we’re gonna play tempo, we’re gonna play fast, and we’ll get you with our speed and just out-athlete you because our guys don’t have to think and your guys do.”
  • Like the RGIII jersey swap above? Follow Pro Football Rumors on Instagram for more great pics.

Cole’s Latest: Foles, Jets, Mathieu, Nelson

June 6th, 2016 at 8:20pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Let’s take a quick look at the latest reporting from Jason Cole of Bleacher Report, who touched on a number of topics today in a series of videos…

Nick Foles Unhappy With Rams, Skipping OTAs

June 1st, 2016 at 4:28pm CST by Zachary Links

4:28pm: Head coach Jeff Fisher spoke about Foles’ situation Wednesday, saying, “He has not been here to participate since the draft … We’re trying to work things out.” Fisher continued, “Nick has the feeling if things stay the same, he’s probably not gonna be on the roster” (Twitter links via Albert Breer of NFL.com).

Fisher also called Foles’ absence “more of a mutual thing,” writes Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk. Based on that, it appears Foles’ time with the Rams is done. Now it’s just a matter of whether they’ll be able to find another team to take him via trade.

10:35am: Nick Foles is none too pleased with the Rams this offseason. The quarterback, who was a regular when offseason workouts began April 18th, has not participated in a team practice since the Rams selected Jared Goff No. 1 overall, as ESPN.com’s Jim Trotter writes. Multiple sources have confirmed that Foles has been abstaining from team-run training sessions and the start of OTAs because the Rams drafted a quarterback. Nick Foles (Vertical)

[RELATED: Rams Sign Dominique Easley]

Acquired by the Rams in the trade that sent Sam Bradford to the Eagles, the two quarterbacks have wound up in strikingly similar situations. Last offseason, Foles inked a two-year, $24.5MM extension that included nearly $13.8MM in guarantees. Now, it’s clear that he is not the quarterback of the future in Los Angeles and maybe not even the quarterback of the present. Last season, Foles opened the season as the starter under center but was benched in favor of Case Keenum after throwing seven touchdowns against six interceptions.

Foles drew trade interest from teams in late April and the quarterback presumably wants the team to ship him elsewhere. Because the Rams have already paid his guaranteed $6MM roster bonus for the 2016 season, Foles would come at a very affordable rate for any team interested in acquiring him — only his $1.75MM base salary for ’16 would count against a new team’s cap. Of course, his new team would also take on the rest of his contract, including a non-guaranteed $10.75MM base salary for 2017.

Foles has plenty of starting experience and could be a good fit as a backup elsewhere. Meanwhile, Los Angeles could roll with Goff, Keenum, and 2015 third-rounder Sean Mannion on the depth chart. It remains to be seen whether Goff or Keenum can deliver in 2016, but the team probably sees more potential in those two players than Foles, a fifth-year pro.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Draft Updates: Cowboys, Tunsil, Pats, Jets, Saints

April 30th, 2016 at 1:46pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Cowboys’ later-round selections have featured some interesting near-misses. Dallas has been linked to multiple players it did not end up selecting, including new Browns edge-rusher Emmanuel Ogbah, whom Cleveland chose in Round 2. The team also eyed Clemson defensive end Kevin Dodd, Tony Pauline of WalterFootball.com reports.

Even its own pick brought uncertainty after a report surfaced Friday that the team nearly unloaded its second-round pick to the Bears before taking Notre Dame injured star Jaylon Smith. Perhaps these pass-rushers going off the board contributed to the urge to wanting to trade down.

We heard Friday night the Cowboys are not going to re-sign Greg Hardy. This, coupled with the looming suspensions of Demarcus Lawrence and Randy Gregory have left the team thin at defensive end despite signing former Eagles edge presence Cedric Thornton in free agency. It took Dallas until the fourth round to address this spot, when it took Charles Tapper from Oklahoma.

Here’s the latest from the draft.

  • The Saints traded up for the 120th pick, but according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter), they didn’t get their selection in on time. This allowed the Vikings to jump the Saints, with Minnesota selecting offensive lineman Willie Beavers. New Orleans presumably still got their target in defensive tackle David Onyemata.
  • The Dolphins believe it was the former financial advisor of rookie Laremy Tunsil who released the incriminating gas mask video, tweets Andrew Abrasion of The Palm Beach Post. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the video caused Tunsil to drop from the sixth overall pick to No. 13.
  • Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan told Dom Cosentino of NJ.com that the team isn’t working to acquire another quarterback, including Nick Foles (Twitter link).
  • Pauline also notes the Patriots‘ collection of second- or third-round quarterback choices in the Tom Brady era could have included Wisconsin passer Joel Stave instead of the player they actually selected, Jacoby Brissett, in the third round. While neither was considered a top prospect, Brissett was mentioned as a mid- or late-round pick before the lesser-regarded Stave — a 6-foot-5 former Badger, who remains on the board. Stave threw for just 11 TDs last season for the run-oriented Badgers.
  • The Steelers are considering a trade to get into the fifth round, Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review tweets.

Ben Levine contributed to this report

Nick Foles Drawing Trade Interest

April 28th, 2016 at 5:04pm CST by Luke Adams

APRIL 28, 5:04pm: As expected, Foles will likely be the odd man out after the Rams draft a quarterback tonight, says Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com (Twitter links). The club is hoping to trade him rather than release him — a source tells Wagoner that “four or five” teams have reached out about Foles, but some of those clubs may want to see how the draft plays out before making any decisions.

APRIL 25, 2:44pm: While one of the two quarterbacks involved in 2015’s Rams/Eagles trade asks out of Philadelphia, trade rumors are also beginning to swirl around the other signal-caller who was a part of that deal. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter), Nick Foles of the Rams has drawn interest from several teams, and will be worth keeping an eye on this week.Nick Foles (Vertical)

As is the case in Philadelphia, where Sam Bradford isn’t thrilled with the idea of sharing the quarterback room with both Chase Daniel and the No. 2 overall pick in the draft (likely Carson Wentz), the Rams may have one too many QBs on their roster if they don’t make a move. Los Angeles currently holds the No. 1 pick in the draft, and is expected to use it on Jared Goff, who would join Foles, Case Keenum, and 2015 third-rounder Sean Mannion on the team’s QB depth chart.

While it’s possible that Keenum or Mannion could become the expendable quarterback in Los Angeles, it makes more sense that the team would move on from Foles. GM Les Snead and head coach Jeff Fisher have talked up Keenum all offseason, and the fact that the club placed a first-round tender on him shows that he’s valued in L.A. Meanwhile, Mannion is more of a developmental signal-caller at this point in his career, and likely wouldn’t be able to step into a situation where he’d be counted on to play at all in 2016.

Foles, on the other hand, has plenty of starting experience, and could be a good fit as a backup elsewhere. Because the Rams have already paid his guaranteed $6MM roster bonus for the 2016 season, Foles would also come at a very affordable rate for any team interested in acquiring him — only his $1.75MM base salary for ’16 would count against a new team’s cap. Of course, his new team would also take on the rest of his contract, including a non-guaranteed $10.75MM base salary for 2017.

With a number of teams – including perhaps the Cowboys, Bears, and Steelers – in the market for a veteran backup under center, the Rams could land a day-three pick for Foles if they’re willing to move forward with Keenum, Mannion, and their first overall pick. Given how many selections the Rams surrendered to move up from No. 15 to No. 1, getting back a pick, even a late-rounder, would make sense for the club.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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