The Jacksonville Jaguars have long made sense as a potential Nick Foles destination in 2019.
Blake Bortles figures to be headed elsewhere. Personnel chief Tom Coughlin is familiar with Foles from the NFC East. The team is still mostly built for a playoff run. And former Philadelphia Eagles quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo is now in Jacksonville.
With roughly a month until free agency, when Foles is set to become available after the quarterback voided his 2019 option with the Eagles, the connections have apparently led to more than just speculation. As CBS Sports NFL insider Jason La Canfora noted on Thursday's edition of the Pick Six Podcast, the Jaguars "have been focused on" pursuing either Foles or former Baltimore Ravens starter Joe Flacco in 2019.
The Athletic's Daniel Popper had a similar sentiment earlier in the week, reporting the Jaguars "will be making some kind of play for Foles, either via trade or free agency."
Thirty-one of The Athletic's NFL beat writers offered thoughts on Foles' potential fits around the league, and Popper pegged the Jags as the most convincing. Noting that Jacksonville has "the money to spend" on a potentially lucrative free-agent contract, he added that the team has already approached or plans to approach defensive lineman Calais Campbell, among others, about restructured deals in order to free up even more room for a quarterback salary.
Only the Denver Broncos were also mentioned as having a "real chance" of pursuing Foles in The Athletic survey, with Nicki Jhabvala noting that she expects John Elway and co. to "seriously consider their options with veteran quarterbacks before setting their sights on the draft."
La Canfora agreed, telling Will Brinson on the Pick Six Podcast that Foles' market isn't as big as some might think.
"It's Miami, Jacksonville, Washington and maybe Denver," he said. "I don't see Denver being in on Foles. I think it's really Jacksonville. They've been focused on him and Flacco."
Fresh off two straight playoff runs with the Eagles in place of an injured Carson Wentz, Foles' last opportunity as a full-time starter outside of Philadelphia came with the Rams, who acquired him via trade in 2015. The Super Bowl LII MVP is currently on track to become an unrestricted free agent in March, but the Eagles could also still franchise tag him in hopes of then trading him.
Listen to La Canfora's entire breakdown of Foles' future, plus 2019 free agency and Super Bowl LIII, on the podcast:
