Examining Trade Packages for Nick Foles
Examining Trade Packages for Nick Foles
There’s been plenty of speculation that the Jacksonville Jaguars will make a run at Nick Foles. Their new OC, John DeFilippo, was the Eagles QB coach during Foles’ Super Bowl MVP postseason.
CBS Sports released a mock draft with two possible scenarios for an Eagles-Jags swap.
Scenario #1
Jaguars Receive: QB Nick Foles, #26 overall pick (2019), #54 overall pick (2019)
Eagles Receive: #7 overall pick (2019), #69 overall pick (2019)
Even for a player who’s highs are as high as Nick’s, the seventh overall pick would be a very tall price for just Foles and no other compensation. The Eagles would add their lower first rounder and both teams would toss in a less significant early-round pick to balance things out. The Jaguars would be passing up on the chance to take an instant impact player in the top ten, but if they believe Foles can be the man for a 16-game slate along with the postseason, it won’t be too much to ask for. Even though Philly was criticized by many for holding onto Foles for another season, his trade value ended up boosting, and snagging such a high pick in return for your backup QB is a win in every way.
Scenario #2
Jaguars Receive: QB Nick Foles
Eagles Receive: RB Leonard Fournette
You don’t see many straight up player-for-player swaps in today’s league. The Jaguars would have to absorb the quarterback’s high cap hit, but after giving Blake Bortles $18 million to be a bottom-tier passer, it shouldn’t be too much to ask for. The Eagles would receive a young and talented but injury-prone and controversial running back. If Fournette can help replicate the Eagles 2017 rushing attack, then it’s a win for Philadelphia. The Eagles have dealt with some hot personalities before, and with a locker room as strong as this one, I’m not worried about any potential complications.
What Should the Eagles Do?
Nick Foles is a Philadelphia Legend, but with limited cap space and franchise quarterback already on the roster, there’s not much of a place for him on this team. Foles can excel in the right system (Chip Kelly 2013/14, Doug Pederson 2017/18), and with DeFilippo now running the offense in Jacksonville, a trade there would make sense for all three parties involved (Foles included). Fournette is a good target, but Howie Roseman should peek around and see if there’s any way that the Jags would let Jalen Ramsey getaway in a trade. AJ Bouye is another talented CB on that roster, but his salary is too much for an Eagles team already tight on money. I wonder if they’d bite on Foles and the 54th pick for Ramsey and the 102nd. I highly doubt any trade materializes with Ramsey’s name even being mentioned, but it doesn’t hurt to speculate.
I really do like the Fournette trade for both sides, but there’s a low chance there’s a straight-up swap without anything else involved. Obviously, there are other places Foles could be traded to, but the Jaguars make too much sense for everyone involved. There’s also a shot that Foles buys his freedom for $2 million and goes wherever he pleases.
Regardless of what transpires, St. Nick the legend will never be forgotten in the City of Brotherly Love.
-By: Micah Jimoh