If Week 15 suggested anything, it’s that the New York Giants should use the upcoming offseason to exhaust all possible avenues when it comes to finding Eli Manning’s replacement under center.
While it was reported that the Baltimore Ravens and veteran quarterback Joe Flacco intend to part ways in the coming months, the Giants might want to consider a familiar face within the division.
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foles continued to drive up his worth on Sunday night by keeping his team alive in a 30-23 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers.
The backup filling in for the injured Carson Wentz managed Week 15 perfectly on the road, completing over 77-percent of his passes for 270 yards.
It’s the latest heroic outing from the 29-year-old, who led the Eagles to their first-ever Super Bowl title while winning game MVP after Wentz went down with a torn ACL last season.
His ascension into the spotlight couldn’t have come at a better time as 2017 was a contract year. Yet he decided to re-sign with the Eagles despite knowing that he would be relegated to the backup role the moment Wentz returned.
After looking dead in the water after a Week 14 overtime loss to the Cowboys that dropped them to 6-7, the Eagles are back to .500 with Foles and just a game back of the NFC East lead after Dallas was shut out by the Indianapolis Colts.
Should Foles pull off another miracle and lead the Eagles into the playoffs, his value this offseason is only going to increase.
Luckily for him, there is a mutual option in his revised one-year contract that, should he decline, makes him a free agent after this season.
Reports on Sunday even before his victory over the Rams indicated that he will indeed become a free agent over the winter, which will present the Giants with another established name to take over should they decide to move away from Manning.
NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reported on Sunday that Manning could be playing his way back into contention for the Giants’ starting job in 2019, but a miserable outing in slick conditions against the Titans led to a pair of costly turnovers from Manning in a 17-0 loss.
Foles is proving to be a clutch quarterback who can step up and be counted on in high-intensity situations. It was seen in Super Bowl LII against the New England Patriots and reaffirmed on Sunday night against a powerhouse Rams team.
With a bevy of offensive talents in running back Saquon Barkley and wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., the Giants need a quarterback that can simply manage the game and find his best players.
Foles has shown an ability to do that which means Dave Gettleman should at least consider the Eagle this offseason even if he is used as a temporary solution until the Giants are in a position to either draft or acquire an elite talent.
