Nick Foles’s contract has a self-destruct clause

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The NFL’s salary cap makes teams do all sorts of ridiculous stuff with players’ contracts. It’s why Tom Brady and Tony Romo rework their deals almost every year, but how many contracts are constructed like a ticking timebomb?

Nick Foles just signed back with the Eagles to ride the bench behind Carson Wentz and, according to the Boston Globe’s Ben Volin, his deal literally self-destructs after two years.

1/2: Nick Foles signed 5-yr, $27.5m deal w/ Eagles w/ another $5m in incentives and up to $6m escalator for 2018 if he hits certain markers
— Ben Volin (@BenVolin) March 17, 2017

2/2: But really it's a 2-year, $11m deal to be Wentz's backup, plus the $5m in incentives and $6m escalator.
— Ben Volin (@BenVolin) March 17, 2017

The final three years of Foles' deal void if he's on the Eagles' roster 23 days before the start of the 2019 league year, i.e. mid-February
— Ben Volin (@BenVolin) March 17, 2017

Of course, the Eagles aren’t just doing this to be evil geniuses—it works out for both sides.

it makes sense. Team wants a 5 year deal to smooth out the signing bonus, player wants to hit free agency in two years
— Ben Volin (@BenVolin) March 17, 2017

Still, it’s nice to picture Foles sitting at home in the winter of 2019 with a big red clock ticking down above his head.