The Eagles made an interesting move at the quarterback position today, signing the quarterback who sent them to a playoff berth in 2013, Nick Foles. The signing is set to send ripples through the roster, with Chase Daniel reportedly asking the Eagles to release him just hours after the news emerged.
Foles had a historic season in 2013, in which he threw for 27 touchdowns and 2 interceptions, before struggling to live up to that same level a year later, leading to a trade that sent him to St. Louis in exchange for Sam Bradford. After reuniting with former Head Coach Andy Reid in Kansas City, Foles now returns to the City of Brotherly Love. So, what can we take from the return of Nick Folean Dynamite?
The View:
Foles signed a two-year deal worth $11M. If you compare this to Chase Daniel’s 3-year deal worth $21M that he signed last season, two things become clear. The Eagles value their future backups in the same way they view(ed) Daniel. Signing as a “Guru” quarterback, the Eagles are more than comfortable in paying their backup handsomely in order to help develop the future of their franchise.
The value:
Foles, while actually cheaper than Daniel, brings a lot to the table. The former Pro Bowl MVP is someone who has experience of being a starter in the NFL and the system, as well as Philadelphia culture. The Eagles are bringing back a familiar face and one who has the right attitude to help the locker room culture flourish. While mentoring Wentz may be the focal point, it doesn’t hurt that Foles has had far more playing time either.
He may have regressed since that sensational 2013 season, but he’s still a quarterback who is more than capable of stepping in if called upon..and is likely to be far less rusty. For one, he has completed 776 of his 1,286 career passes, while Chase Daniel has thrown a total of 78 passes in the 8 years he’s been in the league. That’s not to say Foles was signed to be a backup who can win games in the absence of Wentz should he ever go down, but it certainly adds a lot of value to both the ways he can help nurture the growth of Wentz (having played against over 20 NFL’s teams), and of course the benefits of having a backup QB who has the frame and arm to make an impact..which brings us to our next point.
The player:
It’s no coincidence that Foles is a former Chiefs quarterback. As of right now, he’s listed as the third QB on the depth chart..and before him that role was filled by Aaron Murray. While Pederson’s tenure never overlapped with that of Nick Foles in Kansas City, he did play a vital role in pushing the Eagles to draft the quarterback during his time as the Eagles QB coach.
The Eagles also had interest in adding Foles to their corps a year ago and now that the team have a true franchise quarterback in place (unlike they did this time last year), the role of Nick Foles would be cemented as a backup..which is a position he has proven more than capable of filling. Chase Daniel on the other hand, sees himself as a starter. After being disgruntled following the Eagles decision to ride Carson Wentz after the Sam Bradford, to his actions today..Daniel views himself as a starter in this league. The Eagles can rely on Foles to give everything to the team, because he’s even been a backup in Philadelphia before.
The bottom line:
If Chase Daniel envisions his future away from Philadelphia, bringing in someone who ticks all the boxes in the backup criteria list at a cheaper price can hardly be snuffed at. Foles knows Pederson well after being coached by him during his rookie year. Pederson knows Reid well for reasons we are all too familiar with..and Foles knows the system well because after all, he did complete a career-high 65% of his passes in the 3 games he played for the Chiefs in 2016, throwing three touchdowns and no picks in the process.
Whichever way you look at it, this is a solid move by an Eagles team who are low on cap space, want to ensure that Carson Wentz is in the perfect environment and also wish to sustain a culture.
Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
