Nick Foles was contemplating retirement after failed stints with the Los Angeles Rams and Kansas City Chiefs, but now the latest line on his resume reads “Super Bowl MVP.” The backup to Carson Wentz played fantastic football down the stretch for the Philadelphia Eagles, and was excellent in the Super Bowl win over the New England Patriots.
This could shake up the quarterback market radically. That might not seem like a big deal because the San Francisco 49ers have their man in Jimmy Garoppolo, but it could affect things in the NFL Draft. Quarterbacks rule the market, and with several quarterback-needy teams picking ahead of the 49ers in the first round, one of them filling that need elsewhere could lead them to taking someone the 49ers want.
And that would, of course, be bad.
So what’s going to happen with Foles? He essentially has one year remaining on his deal, which was signed for five years in 2016, but the length was such only for bonus distribution purposes. His contract voids in February 2019 if he’s on the Eagles roster.
So what happens?
The Eagles trade him
Cash in now while the gettin’s good. I don’t know what Foles’ trade value is, but if the Eagles are at all confident in Wentz’s recovery, then they can move Foles. I don’t know what the price would be, but there are a slew of teams in need of good quarterback play. It seems like more teams than ever are looking for help at the position.
This is, notably, the only one of these options that could affect the 49ers’ 2018 NFL Draft plans. If Foles is traded to, say, the Denver Broncos, then that team could easily target another position in the NFL Draft.
The Eagles extend him
Whether it’s because they don’t get any trade offers, don’t get good enough trade offers or simply don’t offer him up for trade, the Eagles could have a use in extending him. Wentz’s injury is not guaranteed to have him ready for the beginning of the 2018 season, and his playing style is aggressive to the point that we can easily imagine him getting injured again.
Foles is everything a team could want out of a backup. They’d have to pay him a little more, but it wouldn’t be a bad move.
Nothing at all
Quarterback-needy teams passed on Foles multiple times in the past and may not be itching to give up a high draft pick for his services. If Foles stays put, doesn’t sign an extension and his contract voids in 2019, he’ll hit the open market at 30 years of age, with plenty left in the tank.
At that point, presumably, Foles’ most recent accomplishment would still be winning Super Bowl MVP, as he will remain the backup for Wentz, as we discussed above. Teams will be willing to offer him some money on the open market, that’s an absolute given. The question is whether or not someone jumps early and gives up a pick.