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Nick Foles

Eagles Declined Gordon/Foles Trade In 2013

February 16th, 2015 at 3:53pm CST by Luke Adams

Much has been made of the rumored 2013 trade that would have sent Browns receiver Josh Gordon to the 49ers nearly two years ago — the Niners were reportedly prepared to send Cleveland at least a second-round pick, but owner Jimmy Haslam is believed to have stepped in and shut down trade discussions. It turns out that San Francisco wasn’t the only team with whom the Browns had serious talks about Gordon that year. According to Phil Sheridan of ESPN.com, the Eagles also spoke to Cleveland in 2013 about a possible Gordon deal.

Sheridan reports that the trade, which was ultimately nixed by the Eagles, would have involved quarterback Nick Foles heading to Cleveland. For context, Foles had won just one of his six career starts for Philadelphia at that point, while Gordon was facing a two-game suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.

Both players ended up having outstanding 2013 campaigns, with Gordon leading the league in receiving yards and Foles tossing 27 touchdowns to just two interceptions. Their 2014 seasons were less successful, however — Gordon missed 10 games due to another suspension, and struggled to fit into the offense upon his return, while Foles had turnover problems in the first half and was eventually sidelined for the year with a broken collarbone.

Even though this isn’t exactly a current trade rumor, it’s still entertaining to imagine what might have been. With Foles under contract, the Browns presumably wouldn’t have Johnny Manziel on their current roster, and might be deciding this winter whether or not to extend Foles. As for Gordon, perhaps he’d still be dealing with the same off-field issues in Philadelphia, but given what we’ve heard about the Browns’ organization within the last few weeks, it’s fair to wonder if a change of scenery – not to mention a spot in Chip Kelly‘s offense – might have significantly altered the young wideout’s course over the last couple years.

Heading into 2015, there’s still some uncertainty surrounding both players, with Gordon facing at least a year-long suspension, and Foles entering the final year of his contract. Of course, Gordon’s NFL future is much more up in the air than Foles’, so if this swap was indeed on the table back in 2013, the Eagles’ front office should be happy it didn’t put the trigger.

East Notes: Wallace, Cowboys, Foles

February 8th, 2015 at 8:44am CST by Rory Parks

The future of Dolphins receiver Mike Wallace has been up in the air virtually since the ink dried on the five-year, $60MM deal he signed with Miami in 2013. Even before the 2014 season began, we heard that Wallace could be on the trading block, and questions regarding his status with the team arose again within the past couple of weeks.

According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, Wallace and GM Dennis Hickey recently had a meal together, suggesting that Miami is open-minded about retaining Wallace and will not release him without first determining whether the situation is salvageable. Jackson breaks down the cap ramifications of whatever decision the team ultimately makes, noting that the Dolphins will absorb a $12.1MM cap hit if Wallace is on the team, $9.6MM if he is cut without a post-June 1 designation, $6.6MM if he is traded, and $5.2MM if he is cut with a post-June 1 designation (which also would entail a 2016 cap hit).

Now let’s take a look at a few more links from the league’s east divisions:

  • Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com previews the Jets‘ quarterback options this offseason, writing that the team is likely to bring in a veteran quarterback and a rookie signal-caller to challenge Geno Smith. Cimini names Ryan Fitzpatrick as a particularly viable veteran option if he is released by the Texans. Fitzpatrick knows new offensive coordinator Chan Gailey‘s system well from the time the two spent together in Buffalo.
  • Finding a way to retain both Dez Bryant and DeMarco Murray is at the top of the Cowboys‘ priority list this offseason, but Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News writes that Dallas desperately needs to draft upgrades at every level of its defense. George goes on to examine the state of the team’s defensive line, linebackers, and secondary.
  • Former Pro Bowl tackle Tra Thomas, who served as a coaching intern and offensive assistant coach with the Eagles for the past several seasons, says that the team needs a running quarterback in order to effectively run Chip Kelly‘s offense. As Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com notes, Thomas’ comment is interesting because “it is the closest thing the Eagles have had to a coach…coming out and saying [Kelly] needs a running quarterback,” and because the questions surrounding Nick Foles‘ status with the team are rooted in the fact that he is incapable of beating teams with his legs.
  • Speaking of the Eagles‘ quarterback situation, NFL Network draft guru Mike Mayock has said that former Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota is a “projection” for every team in the league except Philadelphia (link via Tucker Bagley of PhillyMag.com).
  • Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com examines the emphasis that new Washington GM Scot McCloughan will place on player development.

 

NFC Links: Foles, Maclin, Seahawks, Bucs

January 31st, 2015 at 10:40am CST by Ben Levine

Nick Foles season ended prematurely, but the Eagles quarterback is confident heading into the offseason. In fact, he doesn’t only expect to be back with the Eagles in 2015, he expects to be the starting quarterback.

“My expectation is to be out there and be the starting guy,” Foles told Reuben Frank of CSNPhilly.com. “I expect to be out there with my teammates leading them. I’ve never thought otherwise throughout this whole time. I know there’s been a lot of things said, but the only thing I’m worried about is making myself the best player, the best person to help lead my team.”

Let’s take a look at some more notes from the NFC…

  • Jeremy Maclin‘s future with the Eagles is uncertain, but the wideout sounded like he’d be interested in returning while talking with Jeff McLane of Philly.com. “I’m excited about what the future holds,” Maclin said on Friday. “Once again, both sides have made it known what we want to do. I think it will take care of itself.”
  • O’Brien Schofield‘s successful season with the Seahawks may have never happened if not for a failed physical with the Giants. “I look at it now, and it probably was one of the bigger blessings of my career because I got the chance to work with this group of guys and these coaches again,’’ Schofield told Paul Schwartz of the New York Post.
  • Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston has a fan in Hall of Fame linebacker Derrick Brooks. The Buccaneers legend believes it would wise for Tampa Bay to select the former Heisman winner with the first-overall pick. “I believe he will show them his work ethic behind the scenes, as well as his knowledge of the game and the feel of the game,” Brooks told Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. “I do hope he impresses them enough to pick him.”

Potential Suitors Eyeing Nick Foles

January 26th, 2015 at 12:44pm CST by Luke Adams

Nick Foles appears poised to head into the 2015 season as the Eagles’ starting quarterback, but that’s not an absolutely certainty, and a question mark hangs over Foles’ long-term future in Philadelphia. 2015 is the final year of the signal-caller’s rookie contract, and there’s been no indication so far that the team has tried to lock him up to a long-term deal.

There’s also been no indication that the Eagles would trade Foles, but his possible availability was a topic of conversation among coaches and scouts at last week’s Senior Bowl in Mobile, according to Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com. Parks reports that the Rams would have interest in acquiring Foles if he were made available via trade, while the Titans and Texans could be among his suitors if he reaches the open market a year from now.

Of course, plenty could change between now and next March, when Foles is tentatively scheduled to hit the market. If the Eagles view the 26-year-old as a potential long-term solution, extension talks should happen at some point this year, perhaps with the contracts signed by Andy Dalton and Colin Kaepernick serving as models — those deals included big long-term money, but small guarantees, allowing their respective teams the flexibility to move on after a year or two if things don’t work out.

Even if the Eagles don’t view Foles as a long-term answer, the team would probably have to identify a replacement before simply letting him walk in free agency, or trading him. Head coach Chip Kelly reportedly has significant interest in Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota, but the odds of Philadelphia being able to move into position to draft Mariota are slim. In fact, the Titans, armed with the second overall pick this spring, could take a long look at Mariota themselves, and selecting him would presumably take them out of the running for Foles next year.

At this point, neither a trade nor an extension of Foles looks at all imminent, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Eagles brought him back for the 2015 season before making a decision one way or another. After all, the club may want to see how the former third-round pick bounces back from the collarbone injury that sidelined him for a good chunk of the 2014 season before making any definitive moves.

East Notes: Fangio, Foles, Rolle

January 18th, 2015 at 12:16pm CST by Rory Parks

After dining with Washington brass last night, Vic Fangio will have a lengthy, official interview today for the team’s vacant defensive coordinator post, reports Mike Jones of the Washington Post. Fangio, who also met with the Bears regarding their defensive coordinator vacancy, is widely regarded as Washington’s top choice.

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

  • Although a new GM and new defensive coordinator could change things, John Keim of ESPN.com appears convinced that Brian Orakpo will not return to Washington next year.
  • They have some in-house matters to take care of first, but Tim McManus of PhillyMag.com writes that the Eagles, although not flush with cash, will have enough money to be players in the free agent market. McManus suggests if the team makes a big splash, it will come at the corner or safety positions.
  • In the midst of rumors that Nick Foles may not be the Eagles‘ long-term solution at quarterback, star running back LeSean McCoy defended his signal caller, McManus writes. “I like Nick,” said McCoy. “The person and the player that everybody thought he was, he is. There were a lot of injuries this year — Nick obviously got injured. He gets all the blame and he shouldn’t. I think Nick is a good quarterback, he is the leader of this team, and things just didn’t work out for him this year due to injury. But we’ve got his back.”
  • Jordan Raanan of NJ.com does not believe Antrel Rolle will return to the Giants next year, and he looks at how that will affect the team’s free safety position. Raanan also looks at a few possible cap casualties.
  • Mike Lupica of the New York Daily News writes that, even if his hires of Todd Bowles and Mike Maccagnan turn out poorly, owner Woody Johnson should at least get credit for taking the right approach in making those hires.
  • Brian Costello of the New York Post provides a behind-the-scenes look at those Jets hires from Charley Casserly, who served as Johnson’s adviser during the hiring process.

2015 Proven Performance Escalator Raises

January 16th, 2015 at 8:21pm CST by Dallas Robinson

According to the NFL’s contractual bargaining agreement, players drafted in rounds three though seven are entitled to raises during the fourth year of their respective rookie contracts. The pay bumps are tied to playing time — a player must have played in 35% of his team’s offensive or defensive snaps in two of his first three seasons, or averaged 35% playing time in said snaps for the duration of his first three years in the league. If one of these thresholds is met, the player’s salary is elevated to the level of that year’s restricted free agent qualifying offer — that figure was $1.431MM last year, and will inflate commensurate with the salary cap increase. Players selected in the first or second round, undrafted free agents, and kickers/punters are ineligible for the proven performance escalator.

Here are the players who will see their 2015 salary rise due to the PPE, courtesy of Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap.

Bengals: George Iloka, S; Mohamed Sanu, WR

Bills: Nigel Bradham, LB

Broncos: Malik Jackson, DL; Danny Trevathan, LB;

Browns: Billy Winn, DL

Cardinals: Bobby Massie, T

Chargers: Johnnie Troutman, G

Colts: Dwayne Allen, TE; T.Y. Hilton, WR

Dolphins: Lamar Miller, RB; Olivier Vernon, DE

Eagles: Brandon Boykin, CB; Nick Foles; QB

Falcons: Lamar Holmes, T

Jets: Demario Davis, LB; Antonio Allen, DB

Packers: Mike Daniels, DL

Panthers: Josh Norman, CB

Patriots: Alfonzo Dennard, CB

Raiders: Miles Burris, LB

Rams: Chris Givens, WR; Trumaine Johnson, CB

Ravens: Gino Gradkowski, C

Saints: Akiem Hicks, DT; Corey White, CB

Seahawks: J.R. Sweezy, G; Russell Wilson, QB

Steelers: Kelvin Beachum, T

Texans: Brandon Brooks, G; Jared Crick, DL; Ben Jones, G

Titans: Coty Sensabaugh, CB

Vikings: Robert Blanton, S: Rhett Ellison, TE; Josh Robinson, CB; Jarius Wright, WR

Washington: Alfred Morris, RB

Eagles Links: McCoy, Sanchez, Roseman

December 28th, 2014 at 10:13pm CST by Rob DiRe

After beating the Giants in Week 17, a number of writers for the Philadelphia Inquirer came out to eulogize a promising season that ended in disappointment.

One of the biggest questions the Eagles have heading into the offseason is the contract of Pro Bowl running back LeSean McCoy. Zach Berman caught some of what McCoy said about his future with that team in a series of tweets.

“I’m an Eagle, I love it here. My six years here have been excellent. I’ve been very, very, very productive here,” said McCoy. “We’ll see what happens. It’s a business. Anything can happen; I know that. But I’m sure we can work something out.” 

“It depends how they want to do it. …I love this team, and I’ll do whatever it takes. …We’ve got some time.”

While he has made it clear that he would be willing to restructure his deal, Jeff McClane writes that he would be surprised if McCoy took a pay cut to remain with the team (via Twitter).

  • McCoy may be the most talented player on the offense, but Chip Kelly’s offense needs a quarterback to make it go. Mark Sanchez has likely played his final game as the team’s starting quarterback, and his time as an Eagle in general may be up, writes Mike Sielski.
  • Owner Jeffrey Lurie was unwilling to commit to the team’s other quarterback, Nick Foles, according to McClane (via Twitter). He said the team would know more by March about the situation developing at the position.
  • The Eagles are coming off two good seasons, one that ended in a playoff appearance and one that fell just short of the mark. Bob Ford believes the team needs to make the next step, which won’t be easy. “The hardest part is to go from good to great,” Lurie said. “We’re at the good, but we don’t want that. We want to be great. I just look at what we could have accomplished this year. It’s exciting. We’re not sitting here 2-14 or 4-12 or whatever. . . . I think we’re pretty close. We know exactly what we need to upgrade. We’ve got a great group of young players, a lot of up-and-coming stars in this league. It’s all in front of us.”
  • One big decision for Lurie that could be the difference between taking the team from good to great is the choice to keep or move on from general manager Howie Roseman, writes McClane. As of now, Lurie says that Roseman will be back with the team. Roseman’s first-round pick in 2014 was unable to see much playing time, and reports have it that the hierarchy is unclear between himself and Kelly.
  • A weakness of the 2014 Eagles was the secondary, and that will be a priority this offseason, according to Marc Narducci. He writes about how they fared without Bradley Fletcher, and with inconsistent play even in the Week 17 win, there will surely be changes in time for 2015.

Eagles Notes: Beckham Jr., Kelly, Foles

December 24th, 2014 at 12:53pm CST by Zachary Links

Here’s today’s look at the town where they booed Santa Claus..

  • Eagles coach Chip Kelly had Odell Beckham Jr. rated as the best wide receiver in the draft, as Jordan Raanan of the Newark Star-Ledger writes. The LSU product has blossomed into a superstar for the Giants, and Kelly is not at all surprised. Beckham could give the Eagles fits this week as their secondary has struggled against No. 1 wide receivers as of late.
  • The Eagles will evaluate quarterback Nick Foles this offseason, Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes. He refused to say that he will be the team’s quarterback for next season. “We’ll sit down and thoroughly evaluate everything,” Kelly said. “It’s no different than any other position. Tell us what we have available right now, we’ll talk a look at it, let’s detail it, let’s go through the film again, let’s put our heads together, let’s get everyone’s opinion on it and make valid decisions.”
  • Mark Sanchez had a chance to cash in big this offseason, but he wasn’t able to keep his momentum going into the offseason, as John Smallwood of the Philadelphia Daily News writes. Smallwood looks at the Eagles quarterback’s stock heading into free agency.
  • Sanchez said he’d like to stay in Philly next year, but would not say if he would be willing to return as the Eagles’ backup, tweets Ralph Vacchiano of the Daily News.

Eagles Unlikely To Upgrade At Quarterback

December 22nd, 2014 at 10:50am CST by Rob DiRe

The Eagles were eliminated from playoff contention after losing to Washington on Saturday night and the Cowboys’ blowout victory over the Colts on Sunday. Eagles’ quarterback Mark Sanchez struggled with turnovers after taking over for Nick Foles, and the team lost three in a row after starting the season 9-3.

Foles was not spectacular while he was playing either, showing alarming regression from an unsustainable 2013 season. Looking forward, head coach Chip Kelly will need to get better quarterback play in order to continue to succeed in the NFL. However, if he is unable to develop Foles, the organization may have to look outward for better quarterback play.

Still, finding an upgrade at quarterback will prove difficult for the team, writes Mike Sando of ESPN. Sando looks at some of their options if they do decide to add to their depth chart at the position.

Sitting at nine wins, even a loss in Week 17 will likely leave the Eagles out of the running for Kelly’s former superstar Marcus Mariota. The Oregon quarterback will not be likely to last to where the Eagles end up selecting. Sando also believes trading up for him would be unlikely. Even considering his familiarity with Kelly, the Eagles might be unwilling to pay the price to go up and get him near the top of the draft.

Among the most experienced and accomplished free agent quarterbacks, Sanchez remains at the top of that list. Matt Hasselbeck and Michael Vick are the best options in terms of stop-gap quarterbacks who have won in the NFL. Sando points out the team could target a young but failed quarterback in hopes of developing him. Among those are Jimmy Clausen, Christian Ponder, Colt McCoy, Blaine Gabbert, Jake Locker, and Ryan Mallett. Those options probably don’t represent a better choice than sticking with Foles.

Sando does include a number of more veteran quarterbacks, but their chances of succeeding are uninspired at best. Not many will consider Matt Flynn, Jason Campbell, or Brian Hoyer as a legitimate quarterback to improve the Eagles’ situation.

The only other option outside of Foles and Sanchez is hoping that a quarterback becomes available. Jay Cutler is the biggest name as of right now, as his situation in Chicago is volatile at best as long as Marc Trestman is coaching the team. Robert Griffin III is less likely to become available, and it is unlikely that Washington would be willing to trade him to a divisional rival. A third option would be Matt Schaub, which would be uninspired after not being able to start a single game for the Raiders in 2014.

For these reasons, Sando believes that the Eagles are best off staying put with Foles, Sanchez, or both in 2015. The continuity will bring more advantages than any other question mark quarterback they could bring in, and if Kelly adjusts his offense to put less pressure on the quarterback, the Eagles could see more efficient and consistent quarterback play next year.

East Notes: RGIII, Eagles, Cutler

December 21st, 2014 at 8:43am CST by Rory Parks

It was not long ago that the respective futures of Robert Griffin III and Jay Gruden in Washington were in doubt. After one strong game against the Eagles on Saturday night, that no longer seems to be the case. Following a last-minute, 27-24 victory over their playoff-hopeful division rivals, Washington’s head coach and quarterback are set to return for 2015.

As Jason Reid of the Washington Post wrote just hours after the team’s victory, “Jay Gruden and Robert Griffin III are expected to return next season.” Reid went on to note that Washington’s reliance on the on the run game and DeSean Jackson allowed Griffin to be more comfortable in the pocket than he has been all season, which could have created a blueprint for the team’s success moving forward.

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk adds that there was never any real doubt among the Washington administration that Griffin would be back, as the team continues to hope that he can be the franchise quarterback it once anticipated. So, as Florio writes, “the only remaining question is whether they pick up his eight-figure option for 2016 by May 3. If the goal is to support him, they either need to exercise the option or extend his contract.”

Now for some more noes from the league’s east divisions:

 

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