Nick Foles Isn't Coming to Eagles - Get Over It
That didn’t take long. Already, the Jacksonville Jaguars want to trade Nick Foles, according to a report from ESPN on Monday.
The Jags have eyes for Gardner Minshew, who stepped in for Foles last year when Foles went out in the opener with a shoulder injury. Minshew’s play in the nine weeks Foles missed prompted the phrase Minshew-Mania.
Minshew had 21 touchdowns to six interceptions and completed better than 60 percent of his passes. Those numbers were on par with rookie of the year Kyler Murray, who threw 20 TDs and 12 interceptions while completing better than 64 percent of his passes. Murray was the first overall pick; Minshew was taken in the sixth round, an afterthought.
Foles returned to the starter’s role, but he couldn’t find a way to win. He ended the 2019 season with an 0-4 record. Minshew was 6-6.
Now, the Jags want Foles gone.
No, he’s not returning to the Eagles.
Foles is a legend in Philly. He has a statue outside Lincoln Financial Field commemorating the Philly Special, with him and head coach Doug Pederson standing side-by-side mulling the historic play that caught the Patriots by surprise just before halftime of Super Bowl LII.
He was the MVP of that Super Bowl, the first ever won by the Eagles.
Still, no way general manager Howie Roseman brings him back.
This is old news, really, but there are still some who believe he should be back on the Eagles’ sideline, so here we go again.
Foles isn’t coming back.
The money is too great, but that’s not even close to the whole story.
The bigger part of it is that there is no way Carson Wentz and Foles and coexist on an NFL sideline probably ever again.
Even though the two quarterbacks are good friends, there would be a divide among the fan base on the first interception Wentz throws. There could also be a schism that would develop in the locker room.
This is Wentz’s team through thick and thin.
It is true that the Eagles would like a veteran backup, but it won’t be Foles.
There are two teams that might make sense for Foles, should they be willing to pony up the money Foles is due this season.
Those two teams are the Indianapolis Colts and New England Patriots.
The Patriots come with the caveat that Tom Brady will be moving on in free agency.
Indy, though, is in the market for a quarterback. Many mock drafts have them taking one in the first round, but Foles would be a nice bridge to that quarterback.
Plus, Frank Reich is the Colts’ head coach.
Reich and Foles are very close, and they did work some magic together in 2017.
Chances are, given his contract, he isn’t getting traded at all.
Jacksonville signed Foles to a four-year, $88 million contract last offseason. The contract has $50.1 million in guarantees and is 2020 salary of about $20 million is guaranteed.
A $5 million roster bonus is due on the fifth day of the league’s 2021 new year that becomes fully guaranteed if Foles is on the roster on the third day of the 2020 league year, which is March 21.
Foles can still play, though it only seems like he can do it in Philly, but that boat has sailed for good.
