One of the most long-rumored pairings in the NFL is apparently going to come to fruition this offseason. Nick Foles is not long for Philadelphia as the Eagles have decided to let the former Super Bowl MVP hit free agency rather than use the franchise tag on him, and it appears he may finally be headed to Jacksonville, as was rumored for much of last offseason before the Eagles decided to bring Foles back as Carson Wentz's backup for one more year.
The Jaguars now expect to bring Foles into the fold once free agency opens, according to Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
The only Eagles quarterback to ever win a Super Bowl is bound for Jacksonville when NFL free agency opens March 13, according to NFL sources with knowledge of the situation.
A market for Nick Foles outside of Jacksonville has not developed, and though nothing is certain until it is official, the Jaguars absolutely expect to sign Foles, sources said. They have been working on the structure of a contract, as the Inquirer's Jeff McLane reported. As McLane also reported, it might not place Foles among the league's highest-paid QBs, since the Jags appear to be the only bidder.
Foles has done well filling in for Wentz over the past couple seasons, leading the Eagles to their first Super Bowl victory in 2017 and then bringing them back to the playoffs after Wentz was injured again in 2018. The Jags have been sticking with Blake Bortles as their starter for the past five seasons but it appears they may finally be willing to move on after Bortles' latest sub-par season.
The Jacksonville defense is ready to win now so it makes a good deal of sense that the team wants to bring in a veteran starter rather than wait for a rookie to develop into the kind of player that can lead them deep into the playoffs. We already know Foles has the ability to do that. The questions with him are about his consistency, his ability to stay healthy, and his ability to thrive outside the ecosystem the Eagles created for him to succeed. It won't be too long before we get some answers to those questions now.
