While New York Giants fans received some form of consolation knowing that the Philadelphia Eagles’ season ended on Sunday in an NFC Divisional Game loss to the New Orleans Saints, there could be an added bonus coming from the City of Brotherly Love.
Backup quarterback Nick Foles might have very well played his final game with the Eagles, an interception that went through the hands of wide receiver Alshon Jeffery likely being his final pass with the team.
It’s an unceremonious end to a historic tenure in Philadelphia. The No. 2 man under center will forever be adored by one of the harshest sports cities in the United States after stepping in for injured golden boy Carson Wentz and leading the Eagles to their first-ever Super Bowl title last season in an upset victory over the New England Patriots. To put the cherry on top, Foles was given Super Bowl MVP honors after he passed for 373 yards and three touchdowns.
He was once again called in to work his magic again in 2018 after Wentz went down with a back injury, rallying the Eagles after they were knocked down to the proverbial canvas.
Following an overtime loss to the Dallas Cowboys in Week 14, the Eagles looked dead after falling to 6-7. But Foles came in and reeled off three-straight wins, two of them coming against playoff teams in the Los Angeles Rams and Houston Texans, to sneak Philadelphia into the final NFC Wild Card spot.
Naturally, Foles proceeded to defeat the Chicago Bears in the Wild Card Round before falling to the Saints, capping off a two-year run that saw him go 10-3 as the Eagles starting quarterback.
But with Wentz firmly planted as Philadelphia’s No. 1 man under center, Foles is expendable. Luckily for him, he has a way out with a golden chance to achieve a hefty payday.
As Foles’ contract stands, there is a mutual option for the 2019 season that would pay him $20 million to be Wentz’s backup once again. In order for the option to kick in, both the Eagles and Foles would have to accept it.
The Eagles would likely have no problem doing that. Foles, on the other hand, probably won’t, which would make him an unrestricted free agent.
There is no denying $20 million is a handsome sum, but his value has never been higher after the two seasons he’s put together in Philadelphia and is poised to make much, much more. Thanks to a less-than-impressive quarterback class coming out for the 2019 NFL Draft, passer-needy teams are going to be scouring the market for starting options.
Foles is expected to be on the top of that list.
Are the Giants a perfect fit for Foles?
As it stands, the New York Giants and Jacksonville Jaguars are expected to be the most active teams on the quarterback market this offseason, though they could be joined by the Oakland Raiders or Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
While the Blake Bortles experiment in Jacksonville looks to be over, the Giants seem to be on the fence about ending Eli Manning’s run as the man in New York. The Giants hold the No. 6 pick in the 2019 draft, which could yield them a prospect like Ohio State’s Dwayne Haskins or Missouri’s Drew Lock. But if general manager Dave Gettleman is in a win-now mode, he could go for an established quarterback while using the draft to build a secure offensive line.
Even if the line goes through growing pains, Foles is a quarterback who can get the ball out of his hands quickly and can extend the play if needed. That kind of skill set would take that much more pressure off a rebuilding O-line.
Add his big arm to lead an offense with big-play receivers like Odell Beckham Jr., Sterling Shepard, and tight end Evan Engram and the Giants attack that is going to run through Saquon Barkley will become that much more dangerous.
The NFL’s free agency period officially begins on Mar. 14.
