Nick Foles - Pro Football Rumors

Jaguars To Sign Nick Foles

March 11th, 2019 at 3:50pm CST by Rory Parks

This has felt like a foregone conclusion for over a week, but the Jaguars will sign free agent quarterback Nick Foles, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). And it is a huge deal, as RapSheet tweets that the former Super Bowl MVP will land a four-year, $88MM pact from Jacksonville. Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network adds that the deal maxes out at a whopping $102MM (Twitter link), but Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets that “only” $50.125MM is guaranteed.

After months of discussion as to how the Eagles would handle Foles’ contract, Philadelphia elected to not hit him with the franchise tag once he bought his way into free agency. Teams like Jacksonville who were interested in Foles did not really engage the Eagles in trade talks prior to that decision, as they never expected Philly to tag him in the first place.

The Giants were also rumored to have some interest in their former division rival, but the Jags seemed to be the clear favorites all along. Jacksonville’s quarterback situation has long been a hot topic of conversation, especially after the Blake Bortles extension predictably backfired. And in case you couldn’t hear it over all of the rejoicing in Florida, we just learned that Bortles has been cut.

Foles, 30, spent the bulk of his career as a backup, but wound up as the Super Bowl MVP following the 2017 season in one of the best feel-good stories of the century. He was once again called upon in 2018 as Carson Wentz was sidelined by injury. He went 4-1 in his five starts and completed 72.3% of his passes, his highest mark in any of his NFL seasons. He also threw for seven touchdowns against four interceptions.

He is not perfect by any means, but he should be an improvement over Bortles, and despite a recent batch of cost-cutting moves, the Jags hope that their core is strong enough to make another run at the playoffs after a disappointing 2018 campaign.

Mutual Interest Between Nick Foles, Jaguars

March 3rd, 2019 at 6:23pm CST by Sam Robinson

As the Combine winds down, the Jaguars are entering the final pre-free agency week as the unquestioned clubhouse leaders for Nick Foles.

Mutual interest exists between the Super Bowl LII MVP and the Jags, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com notes (video link). Jacksonville was not ready to trade draft capital for Foles, likely because of a limited market for the veteran quarterback, but has been viewed as the favorite since Philadelphia’s tag-and-trade scenario did not come to fruition.

With other teams not nearly as connected to the free agent-to-be, the Jags may be set to receive a discount. They are internally preparing a Foles offer, Jeff McLane of Philly.com notes, and the expectation is they will be able to sign him for a below-market deal (at least, in terms of veteran starters). However, Rapoport expects the deal to be north of what the Broncos gave to Case Keenum last year, envisioning this pact will eclipse $20MM per year.

While any starting-QB-level deal will put the Jags up against the cap, considering they hold the least cap space in the league (current $2MM-plus over the salary ceiling), the team needs a starter. The team’s Blake Bortles extension predictably backfired, and if the Jaguars cut the sixth-year passer and do not designate him as a post-June 1 release, they are going to take a $16MM-plus dead-money hit this year. If Jacksonville does make Bortles a post-June 1 departure, it cannot use any of the funds created from the transaction until June. The team may need the modest $4.5MM in cap savings a Bortles release creates to afford Foles in March.

However, the Jaguars are shopping Malik Jackson and Carlos Hyde, pointing to releases in the event no one wants to take on these contracts. Cuts of Jackson and Hyde would free up nearly $16MM in space. Marcell Dareus was a cap-casualty candidate, but the former top-five pick restructured his deal. The team also picked up Calais Campbell‘s option. This further points to Jackson being the odd man out, a scenario he expected.

Foles was paid better than Keenum as an NFC backup the past two seasons and obviously became one of the most famous backup quarterbacks in NFL history. His non-Philadelphia stays have not produced much, most notably his St. Louis stint leading to Keenum replacing him as the Rams’ starter and Foles considering retirement before joining the Chiefs. But former Eagles QBs coach John DeFilippo is now in Jacksonville as OC. That may give Foles the best opportunity to thrive outside of Philly.

Giants Interested In Nick Foles?

February 27th, 2019 at 6:06pm CST by Zachary Links

Giants head coach Pat Shurmur says the team will be moving forward with Eli Manning as the starting quarterback, but not everyone is convinced. For weeks, Tony Pauline of DraftAnalyst.com (on Twitter) has been hearing that the Giants are very interested in Eagles quarterback Nick Foles.

For the Giants, it was simply a matter of whether the Eagles would franchise tag the QB or allow him to become a free agent. With Wednesday’s news that the Eagles will allow Foles to explore the open market, the stars could be aligning for the Giants to pursue Foles. Of course, the Manning question still needs answering.

Shurmur coached Foles in Philadelphia, so it would only make sense for the Giants to consider him. Meanwhile, GM Dave Gettleman isn’t ruling out a veteran signing and Foles represents the best free agent QB option by far. Teddy Bridgewater will also hold appeal for teams, but unlike Bridgewater, Foles has recent game tape and a Super Bowl ring on his hand.

Jaguars Balked At Nick Foles Trade

February 27th, 2019 at 1:50pm CST by Sam Robinson

News of the Eagles’ franchise tag-and-trade plan failing emerged because of the Eagles’ inability to talk the Jaguars into making a bid for Foles.

The Jaguars were not interested in trading for Foles, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (video link), and that led to Howie Roseman shutting down the tag-and-trade process. The Eagles had hoped to place a $25MM tag on their popular backup quarterback, but once the Broncos opted for Joe Flacco and the Jags said they did not want to acquire Foles via trade, Roseman agreed the Eagles would let Foles walk. A 2020 third-round compensatory pick will almost certainly come Philadelphia’s way.

However, the Jaguars remain interested in Foles as a free agent, per Rapoport. They are the favorites to sign him in free agency, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter).

Given the marketplace, this is unsurprising. The Jaguars have a veteran defense that in 2017 proved capable of elevating a team with a low-end quarterback to the Super Bowl precipice. The Redskins are unlikely to commit franchise-quarterback-level dollars to finding another passer, with Alex Smith on their 2019 books for more than $20MM, and the Dolphins have not given an indication they are looking to spend big here either. The Giants are, as expected, moving forward with Eli Manning — despite Pat Shurmur’s history with Foles.

This leaves the Jags in an interesting spot. And the fact that they may be a strong favorite likely impacted the team’s decision to avoid giving up a draft choice in a tag-and-trade scenario. Jacksonville’s standing on this front could also affect how much Foles can command as a free agent.

John DeFilippo is now the Jags’ OC, and the team has soured on Blake Bortles after a five-year run did not produce what the franchise hoped. It would be an upset if Foles did not end up in north Florida next season, though thanks to the ill-advised Bortles contract leading to a $16MM dead-money charge, the Jaguars making this quarterback switch will be costly.

Eagles Won’t Franchise Tag Nick Foles

February 27th, 2019 at 11:48am CST by Zachary Links

Nick Foles will be a free agent in March. On Wednesday, Eagles GM Howie Roseman confirmed that the team will not be placing the franchise tag on the quarterback.

“He deserves an opportunity to lead a team,” said Roseman (Twitter link via Tom Pelissero of NFL.com), adding that it was a hard decision for the Eagles.

With Carson Wentz entrenched as the starter and little in the way of cap space, franchising Foles was not a real option, unless the Eagles were willing to thin themselves out in other areas. A tag-and-trade scenario could have allowed them to recoup something for Foles, but it sounds as though the league’s other QB-needy teams sat on their hands with a belief that this would be the ultimate outcome.

Foles spent the bulk of his career as a backup, but wound up as the Super Bowl MVP following the 2017 season. It stands to reason that he’ll cash in next month since he is far and away the best starting option available.

Foles, 30, was once again called upon in 2018 as Carson Wentz was once again sidelined by injury. He went 4-1 in his five starts and completed 72.3% of his passes, his highest mark in any of his NFL seasons. He also threw for seven touchdowns against four interceptions.

This year’s free agent QB crop is slim, as per the usual. Foles is expected to draw the interest of teams like the Jaguars, Dolphins, and Redskins en route to a deal that should pay him higher than the league average starting QB.

Broncos Considered Nick Foles Before Flacco Trade

February 13th, 2019 at 7:24pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Broncos “kicked the tires” on acquiring Nick Foles from the Eagles before sending a fourth-round pick to the Ravens for quarterback Joe Flacco on Wednesday, tweets Mike Klis of 9News.

Per Klis, Denver opted for Flacco over Foles for a variety of reasons. First, Flacco has played under center (as opposed to out of a shotgun formation) with regularity: in 2017, Baltimore ranked eighth in the NFL in total snap percentage under center (52%) and sixth in pass rate under center (37%), according to Warren Sharp. That’s critical given that new Broncos offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello, a product of the Kyle Shanahan coaching tree, figures to put Flacco under center quite frequently. (For reference, Shanahan’s 49ers in 2018 finished second in total snap percentage under center and third in pass rate under center.)

Second, the Broncos consider Flacco the better financial value, reports Klis. Flacco will collect an $18.5MM base salary in 2019, but neither that figure, nor any of his future base salaries, are guaranteed. Foles, meanwhile, is expected to be traded while on a franchise tag that will entitle him to a fully guaranteed, ~$25MM 2019 salary. A Foles extension, as Justis Mosqueda of Optimum Scouting recently detailed, will likely cost an acquiring team north of $40MM in total guarantees.

Additionally, the Eagles are reportedly seeking at least a third-round pick in exchange for Foles, while the Broncos were able to acquire Flacco for only a fourth-round choice.

Extra Points: Foles, QB Summit, Running Backs

February 9th, 2019 at 8:53am CST by Andrew Ortenberg

If the Eagles franchise tag Nick Foles and attempt to trade him, as is expected, they’ll be taking somewhat of a risk, writes former NFL agent and current CBS Sports analyst Joel Corry. “There is a school of thought that franchising Foles strictly for trade purposes violates the CBA. Language requiring a good-faith intention to negotiate with a tendered player or keep him for the upcoming season at his tender exists in the CBA”, Corry points out, although he notes it’s unlikely to be enforced.

The real issue is the cap ramifications of tagging and trading Foles, Corry writes. “With Philadelphia’s current contractual obligations, a Foles franchise tag would put the Eagles roughly $20 million over the projected salary cap. Several contracts would need to be restructured and/or players released just to be able to carry Foles’ cap number for as long as he remained with the Eagles even if he was dealt as soon as the 2019 league year started”, he observes. It’s an interesting point, and if the Eagles can’t agree in principle with another team on a good deal for Foles before the franchise tag period is over, they may not end up tagging him after all.

Here’s more from around the league:

The league is hosting a “QB Summit” to help promote minority coaching candidates, according to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports. According to La Canfora, “the conference will bring together young minority coaches on the offensive side of the ball (quarterbacks coaches, quality control coaches, interns) with established head coaches of all backgrounds in an attempt to facilitate more integration into NFL staffs.” La Canfora writes that “with so many owners seeking a ‘quarterback guru’ and offensive play-callers as head coaches in recent years, and so few African American and Latino coaches currently in those positions in the NFL, the league hopes this ongoing event will foster more integration in the offensive coaching ranks.”
With free agency right around the corner, Jason Fitzgerald of Overthecap.com broke down the running backs most likely to be cut this offseason. Carlos Hyde, who has a salary of $4.7MM for the Jaguars while only playing a bit role the second half of the season, is on top of the list. One somewhat surprising name he floats is LeSean McCoy by the Bills, writing that “it’s probably best for both sides to move on.” The team has said in the past that they plan to keep McCoy for 2019, but if they go all in on a youth movement, it wouldn’t be shocking if McCoy wanted out so he could go to a contender in the twilight of his career.
In case you missed it, the Ravens believe the presence of Lamar Jackson will help attract free agents this spring.

Nick Foles To Void Option, Become Free Agent

February 5th, 2019 at 8:10pm CST by Ben Levine

Well, that didn’t take long. We learned a few hours ago that the Eagles were planning on picking up Nick Foles‘ $20MM option for next season, and now ESPN’s Adam Schefter is reporting (via Twitter) that the veteran quarterback will void the option and buy his way back to free agency.

Of course, this isn’t a very surprising development, as it had been assumed Foles would pay the $2MM it’d take to become a free agent. However, as our own Sam Robinson detailed earlier, this is likely the start of an extensive ordeal for the two sides. The Eagles are expected to slap Foles with the franchise tag, which the quarterback is then expected to accept. Philly would subsequently shop the former Super Bowl MVP, with the team reportedly seeking a third-rounder in exchange.

Fortunately, we should have some clarity on at least the first step of this process relatively soon. ESPN’s Tim McManus points out (on Twitter) that the window for teams to use the franchise tag is between February 19th and March 5th. Of course, with the Eagles in a precarious cap situation ($13MM over the ceiling), they’d likely want to assure that they have a trade lined up before they make such a financial commitment.

Despite the quarterback’s postseason heroics, the Eagles turned back to Carson Wentz in 2018. However, when the former first-rounder was lost to injury, Foles has another shot at the starting gig. In five games, the 30-year-old completed 72.3-percent of his passes for seven touchdowns and four interceptions.

Eagles Will Pick Up Nick Foles’ Option

February 5th, 2019 at 6:18pm CST by Sam Robinson

The rumors surrounding the Eagles-Nick Foles situation appear accurate. The Eagles informed the Super Bowl LII MVP they are going to pick up his $20MM option, Tim McManus of ESPN.com tweets.

Rather than hitting free agency, Foles remains under Eagles control. However, this is likely the start of an extensive process.

Foles is expected to pay $2MM to free himself from this option and become a free agent, but the Eagles in turn are then rumored to be planning a rare tag-and-trade strategy. Philadelphia’s target is somewhat modest: a third-round pick. But that draft choice would likely come in the 2019 third round, rather than the 2020 draft in a compensatory scenario. Foles, 30, is expected to sign the franchise tender immediately. It would be worth approximately $23MM.

This is a complicated scenario for a player who almost certainly will not be part of the 2019 Eagles, but the franchise is likely going to take the chance another team will part with draft compensation to acquire Foles.

The Jaguars make sense, possessing a veteran-fueled defense held down by Blake Bortles. Former Eagles quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo is now the Jaguars’ OC. The Jags will have to perform considerable cap gymnastics to make this work, though. A new Foles contract will be expected to be authorized by whichever team trades for him.

To some degree, the Redskins fit the profile of a Foles buyer — although, they might be aiming lower in a veteran pursuit — and Pat Shurmur coached Foles in Philadelphia. Neither of these teams will be sought as a trade partner, however, with the Eagles not eager to trade another quarterback within the NFC East like they did when they shipped Donovan McNabb to Washington in 2010.

The Dolphins are also moving on from their longtime quarterback, but they are not likely to be big spenders in free agency and are eyeing a rebuild centered around a 2020 first-round passer. Denver is in need of a long-term answer, too, after receiving below-average 2018 work from Case Keenum. But the Broncos targeting a first-round quarterback adds up better than replacing Keenum with Foles. Despite Derek Carr‘s presence, the Raiders might be a long-shot possibility, Eliot Shorr-Parks of 94 WIP writes, adding Mike Mayock is a “big believer” in Foles.

They of the NFL’s worst cap situation ($13MM over the projected salary ceiling), the Eagles will need to know they have a bidder willing to part with appropriate compensation before tagging Foles. The early consensus is the Jaguars will be that team.

NFC Notes: Wilson, Foles, Newton, Rams

February 3rd, 2019 at 12:04pm CST by Rory Parks

We heard in early January that the Seahawks would begin contract negotiations with star QB Russell Wilson “soon,” but Adam Schefter of ESPN.com writes that the two sides have yet to have a single contract discussion. Wilson is under club control through the 2019 season and is set to earn $17MM next year, and he has previously stated he would be willing to play out the final year of his deal and perhaps go year-to-year under the franchise tag. But as Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times observes, the fact that Wilson and the Seahawks have not talked contract yet does not mean much (Twitter link). He says the team will get through other team-building matters first and then start exploring extensions, just as it did when it came time to explore a new deal with Wilson in 2015.

Now for more from the NFC:

We know that the Eagles want to trade Nick Foles, and yesterday we explored (again) how such a trade is likely to come about. While player and club would like to work “in concert” in determining Foles’ next team, ESPN’s Chris Mortensen (via Eliot Shorr-Parks of 94 WIP) says the Eagles are going to try to keep Foles out of the NFC East — the Redskins and Giants could be in the market — and would prefer to deal him to an AFC team. Meanwhile, Sheil Kapadia of The Athletic believes it only make sense for the Eagles to franchise Foles if they already have a trade in place, and that the recent chatter concerning the franchise tag is merely a bluff at this point.
Schefter confirms a report from earlier this week that Panthers QB Cam Newton, who underwent arthroscopic shoulder surgery last week, is expected to be ready in time for training camp and certainly will be good to go when the regular season rolls around.
Ian Rapoport of NFL.com says that the Rams, who signed running back C.J. Anderson in December, “absolutely” want to re-sign Anderson this offseason. That makes sense considering how good Anderson has been in his brief tenure with the club, and considering Todd Gurley‘s history of knee problems. Anderson, though, could be in line for a bigger role or salary than what Los Angeles is prepared to give. Anderson is expected to get plenty of work in tonight’s Super Bowl.
Rams QB coach Zac Taylor will be formally announced as the Bengals’ next head coach tomorrow, and Rapoport tweets that LA may move senior offensive assistant Jedd Fisch to QB coach. The club could also give current TE coach/passing game coordinator Shane Waldron the passing game coordinator title without requiring him to coach a position and bring in Wes Phillips to coach the tight ends.
As expected, the Buccaneers will transition to a 3-4, one-gap defense under new defensive coordinator Todd Bowles, per Jenna Laine of ESPN.com. Laine looks at how the Bucs could deploy their current personnel to mirror Wade Phillips‘ success in transitioning two 4-3 defenses to 3-4 schemes.