Frank Reich Reveals Message to Nick Foles Following Demotion
The Indianapolis Colts announced this week they had promoted former-third string quarterback Sam Ehlinger to the backup position in place of Nick Foles.
The move didn't come as a complete surprise because Ehlinger was nearly flawless in the preseason, but to this point, head coach Frank Reich had stuck by the veteran.
Reich said on Wednesday that it was tough conversation to have, but he knew Foles would handle it like a pro.
"Oh yeah. I talked to all three of the quarterbacks," said Reich when asked if he talked to Foles about the demotion. "It was hard because it wasn’t like – like I said the other day and I’m glad you asked me this – ‘Hey Nick (Foles), Sam (Ehlinger) beat you out.’ It was more a schematic thing."
"Don’t get me wrong, we love Sam. He’s earned the right to be in this role but Nick Foles has looked just lights out in practice. Physically, his arm strength and this offense, he’s doing a good job in this offense. It’s built for him in a lot of ways. Super excited."
"It was a hard conversation to have but Nick is such a pro. He’s such a pro. I think he was a little bit shocked at first but I think he understood why we were doing what we were doing and that it was what was best for the team."
"No way did it diminish how we feel about him and what he brings to our team."
The Colts have the luxury of having three quarterbacks on the roster they feel good about. With Foles being moved to third team, would a trade be out of the question?
The 33-year old Foles has a better resume than several struggling starters in the league and injuries are always a concern.
Indianapolis has a pick in every round in the 2023 NFL Draft. The trade deadline is November 1st at 4 p.m. EST.
It won't be surprising if general manager Chris Ballard starts fielding calls from teams looking for quarterback help.
What would it take for him to listen?
