Eagles 2018 Offseason

[zambonir]

He's not the first doctor to say that (or he's said it before). That Wentz might not be back until mid-season - and that he wouldn't have 100% speed/strenght/timing at any point during the season - always seemed pretty possible to me. Conversely, he's an elite athlete with a killer work ethic who could defy the timetable. Either way, it's good to have a goal. And I doubt Foles is going anywhere.

[xogfog]

Duce will stay as running backs coach, but also has been named Assistant Head Coach, which will not only include more responsibility but surely includes a pay increase as well.

[phillychuck]

Pretty prescient of me, huh?

[jimbomill]

Bingo!

[bkeich]

I am guessing that the Eagles explained to him that Cameron Johnson almost beat him out last year and they need to save money to get what they need given the cap situation.

Not a bad way to go out... although he certainly wasnt overworked from the Super Bowl.

Eagles punter Jones retires, goes out on top

[phillychuck]

Current twitter reports are that the Bills have offered a 2nd round pick for Foles. I personally don't want to see him traded, but if the Bills up it to a first (they've got two of them, 21 and 22), Howie has to listen. If Wentz is your guy for the next 10 years, you have to keep getting him help.

I really love Nick Foles as a QB, ever since 27/2. He seems like a really good man, too. I'd love to see him stay in Philly, but going to Buffalo and helping the Bills dethrone Belichick wouldn't be bad to watch.

[nycphils]

I’d even do Foles and one of our 4th Rd picks for one of those 1sts from the Bills.

[Squire]

To me the Foles issue is still a 2 part discussion. What does he want and what is the trade offer. If Foles wants to stay, that's it for me.

[Lawman]

Ok, here's an exercise. Foles, Bradford, Cousins, Keenum, McCarron, Bridgewater, and McCown. All but Foles are FA. I'd sooner sign one of the others then trade for Foles if I'm a team. I don;t see Foles as head and shoulders above, say, a Case Keenum.

[Purduke]

This is what I was thinking too. Add the fourth into the deal; get a late first and see if draft day they can convert it into a couple seconds. LB crop reportedly very deep this year in the early rounds.

I appreciate having some loyalty to Foles, especially given Wentz uncertainty. Trading is a bit of a gamble, but think Howie has to take a 5 year view and not just 2018. Foles is gone no matter what after this season, so....

[bkeich]

I love having Foles as a backup, but if we can get a high 2nd we have to think about it. Wentz is going to get a huge contract and we need low cost players, and we don't have enough draft picks to have many of them at this point. I realize Wentz's contact is still a few years away, but this draft is the one that is going to give us quality low cost players when Wentz does get paid, by then the players drafted this year will have a few seasons behind them and should be expected to provide value.

Howie has been GREAT at making trades and moves, I do trust him in this situation.

[flyers19rw]

Bradford, Cousins, Keenum, McCarron, Bridgewater, and McCown

None of them are a Super Bowl MVP. Some might say that its not that big of a deal; only one game. Yet the truth of the matter is that he played and won the biggest game in the sport in a situation where he had to come up big for the team to win. He also navigated the Birds through the POs.
If you're the GM of a team that needs a QB to get them into the POs like the Cardinals or Bills, Foles is the guy to get. A raw rookie isn't going to get you there and neither is Bradford, Cousins, Keenum, McCarron, Bridgewater or McCown.

[nycphils]

To me, whether or not to trade Foles is about the return, to some extent, but unless we get blown away by an offer I’d say it really hinges on what the team thinks about Nate Sudfeld. If they think he’s an effective backup that can lead the team effectively for a handful of games and potentially beat anyone on a given day and not turn the ball over, then much easier to trade Foles.

[allentown]

I think it goes even deeper than that. We are over budget and can't keep all of the guys we would like to keep. So... if trading Foles comes with enough $ savings to retain Bradham and also brings a high 2nd round pick, or combined with a #4 brings a low 1st round pick, then you have to seriously consider. Is an improvement at back-up QB for just one season worth more than keeping our play-calling linebacker and filling another hole on the roster. If the extra pick is spent on a RB it helps in year one, then our end of first round pick can be used for an OT, who likely isn't ready until at least halfway through the season. This is the season when $ savings are crucially important to the Eagles

[zambonir]

Yeah, I was in the keep Foles camp until I realized all the salary cap implications, which also creates the need to get more picks.

I seriously doubt Foles is going to refuse the opportunity to start somewhere else. He has a fair amount of control over the situation though because for the Eagles to get the return they want he will likely have to agree to an extension.

It is sort of odd that Foles and Keenum are basically being judged on one game, Keenum's whole season was wiped away with the loss, and Foles last two years was wiped away with the win (well, two wins, and the Super Bowl MVP). But, also understandable. He delivered when it counted and Pedersen provided a strategic blueprint for using him. And perception/PR value affects trade value too.

[Squire]

You’re the GM....Nick Foles comes to you and says I’d like to stay here, back up Carson and play out the year on my contract and your response is going to be “sorry Nick....what have you done for me in March??? I’ve got an offer I like and I’m trading you out of here.” Really???

[zambonir]

If it's an offer you can't refuse, yeah. I mean, this is the Eagles. They're ruthless!

Anyway, that's a nice story for sure, but it probably ends with Foles sitting on the bench and the Eagles not winning another championship (possibly for more than one season) with either QB, because they're going to lose too many players, and can't replace them all. The idea that you need that same level of insurance for Wentz goes out the window if the team isn't as good in other areas anyway.

And I seriously doubt Foles is that sentimental. He needs to maximize his own value while he's hot and take the extension that will come with the trade. A year from now it's a lot more likely that he will either be a free agent who didn't throw a pass or a back-up who was again inconsistent (or injured) than a red-hot starting QB... let alone a Super Bowl winner.

[bkeich]

Foles last two years was wiped away with the win (well, two wins, and the Super Bowl MVP). But, also understandable. He delivered when it counted and Pedersen provided a strategic blueprint for using him. And perception/PR value affects trade value too.

I have a different opinion of what I saw from Foles this year and in past years. Foles is an odd guy as a QB, he really does run the Run-Pass-Option very well and little else. I don't know if it is a timing thing or just that he is really good at making that decision, but that is what he does well and Pederson realized it in the week off before the playoffs. That is basically all he ran under Kelly and he even ran the ball sometimes (and with a great deal of success because he really isnt a runner). In STL they had a completely different, drop back and throw downfield offense and he failed miserably. When Pederson simplified and changed the offense Foles went back to running "his play" really well. He made some dropback throws, but almost all of them were 1st and 2nd read throws, even in the MN game where he was throwing deep. Against NE he really did have a "game of a lifetime" (excluding the 7 TD Oakland game) that he basically did almost everything right, but I don't think that is him. I think he has to run certain styles of plays to succeed, and 7 step drop backs and read 4 routes just isnt what he does well.

[zambonir]

Yup, that's the strategic blueprint. But it doesn't necessarily boost his trade value. It has to be a team with a coach, OC and roster that fits (and it can't be the Giants, ha).

[bkeich]

Agreed completely, some other team needs to understand what he is. Actually, while I like Foles, I really would only root for that to happen if he went to an AFC team as having him in the correct offense in the NFC is kinda a bad thing for the Eagles.