The Nick Foles era in Philadelphia will officially come to an end when free agency opens next week. While this will be an emotional time for fans, it was purely a business decision for the team.
Howie Roseman told the media at the NFL combine that the pair have decided to allow Nick Foles walk into free agency in a decision that was never really as difficult as we may think.
Picking up a $25M franchise tag on a QB that has signed an ‘option’ clause for a reason, would not only burn a very precious bridge, but almost forcefully close a market of teams who would not only have to take on that guaranteed cap hit to restructure, but surrender an asset in a trade that they wouldn’t otherwise have to. If the interest wasn’t there before, it certainly wouldn’t be
The Super Bowl 52 MVP has been a magical character in the Eagles fairytale, but after picking up his option and Foles rescinding it, it became clear that parties were on different pages. The last thing this team needs is to run the risk of keeping a $25M contract on their books in the event a trade doesn’t materialize, or another controversy after weeks of draining attention.
This way, Foles gets to choose his own destiny…which, as noted in the article above, was always the priority. Another thing to note here is the compensatory pick scenario. If the Eagles let Foles walk and he signs a long-term deal, you’re realistically looking at a 3rd-4th round pick in next year’s Draft. While it’s no immediate compensation, it’s the mid-round assets that have been so valuable to the Eagles in recent years.
The question now becomes, ‘what next?’. Will Nate Sudfeld be re-signed and kept as the heir to the QB2 throne? Do the Eagles believe he has what it takes to backup Carson Wentz? If so, who will the next ‘project quarterback’ be?
The good news is that once again, this team belongs to Carson Wentz. It will be his plays, his offense, his team. After nearly two years of injury-induced tweaks that have allowed the aforementioned to be molded around Foles, all of that noise now leaves the building and the focus on winning with Wentz is restored.
What does the future hold for Foles? Will he start in the NFL once more? It’s difficult to tell. The only thing we know for sure is that he will always hold a special place in the hearts of Philadelphia fans.
Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports
