Nick news...

[Drama Queen]

Exactly

Yes, that's what's being said.

The option alone is understandable from that standpoint. It's the report about the franchise tag that tells me Howie has other plans. The Eagles know this is a very weak off-season for quarterbacks (unlike last year, where there were three $20M free agent QBs and five 1st round QBs), and at least six teams have a genuine need at the position. They're betting there's at least one team willing to part with at least a natural 3rd round pick to not have to compete on the open market with as many as five other teams for Foles. Howie might even have an offer already.

I think a trade is more likely than not here.

Let’s play what-if for a second here.

It’s a chess game.
First step: Eagles excerise option for Foles at $20m

Second step: Foles voids option, gives back $2m

Third step: Eagles franchise tag Foles at $25m. Eagles have until 3/18/19 to trade him, keep him (unlikely but possible) or drop him for a backend 3rd in 2020. Let’s go with the likeliness of franchise tagging him at $25m.

Now WHAT-IF you are the Jaguars and want Foles because he is the number 1 available QB in 2019. You have a OC who worked with Foles and wants him too. Do you make an offer better than what the Eagles could get by dumping him on 3/18/19, which is a later 3rd in 2020? Or do you wait, give up nothing as compensation, hope that 6 other teams are not willing to give up compensation, and get into a pricing war with 4-6 other teams after 3/18/19? And that price war could make you end up paying more than $25m.

The logical choice for the Jags, or any other team interested, is to make a trade and control your destiny at the most important position, plus at $25m you stop from paying more in a bidding war. The Jags could easily part with a disgruntled player like Fournette. Or maybe Ramsey who seems disgruntled. That frees up cap room too! Eagles are already working on cap space.

Conclusion: no doubt in my mind that the Eagles will receive compensation in a trade!

[art vandelay]

I'd think that the Eagles could at least get a third from a team like the Jags who would want to prevent Foles from going to a competitor.

Isn't Foles going to sign the franchise tender as soon as the Eagles use it, meaning that they won't be able to rescind it, and will be on the hook if they don't find a trading partner? That is the risk inherent in all of this.

The team that trades for Foles has guarantee him at least $25 million. The Case Keenum deal will set the bar for Foles - 2 years $36 million with $25 million guaranteed. I'd think Foles would have no trouble getting more than that.

[Greenstealth]

Why would foles not buy his way into fa?

[Greenstealth]

Let’s play what-if for a second here.

It’s a chess game.
First step: Eagles excerise option for Foles at $20m

Second step: Foles voids option, gives back $2m

Third step: Eagles franchise tag Foles at $25m. Eagles have until 3/18/19 to trade him, keep him (unlikely but possible) or drop him for a backend 3rd in 2020. Let’s go with the likeliness of franchise tagging him at $25m.

Now WHAT-IF you are the Jaguars and want Foles because he is the number 1 available QB in 2019. You have a OC who worked with Foles and wants him too. Do you make an offer better than what the Eagles could get by dumping him on 3/18/19, which is a later 3rd in 2020? Or do you wait, give up nothing as compensation, hope that 6 other teams are not willing to give up compensation, and get into a pricing war with 4-6 other teams after 3/18/19? And that price war could make you end up paying more than $25m.

The logical choice for the Jags, or any other team interested, is to make a trade and control your destiny at the most important position, plus at $25m you stop from paying more in a bidding war. The Jags could easily part with a disgruntled player like Fournette. Or maybe Ramsey who seems disgruntled. That frees up cap room too! Eagles are already working on cap space.

Conclusion: no doubt in my mind that the Eagles will receive compensation in a trade!

Once step 2 happens foles is a free agent. It's a mutual option. If they tagged him the money is then guaranteed and they'd essentially be playing chicken


https://www.bleedinggreennation.com/...innati-bengals

That's probably the most comprehensive article I've read on the subject

[The Duck]

Once step 2 happens foles is a free agent. It's a mutual option. If they tagged him the money is then guaranteed and they'd essentially be playing chicken


https://www.bleedinggreennation.com/...innati-bengals

That's probably the most comprehensive article I've read on the subject

I've also read that if they tag and rescind, they're no longer eligible for a comp pick.

I always though the tag was a huge risk, not to mention it takes them out of the early free agent market (where they're said to be interested in getting a DE)... but the Schefter report today sounds like a message. The Eagles seem to know that they have willing trade partners, and they're not about to squander the opportunity of having the biggest QB chip in an otherwise barren market and let Foles walk for next to nothing.

I don't think it's out of the question that something is being worked out right now, and when it's finalized, Foles accepts the option and a trade is announced shortly after. I doubt it ever gets to a franchise tag.

[JuTMSY4]

This is what I don't get.

From the eagles perspective, even getting a 2019 third is a great deal. Foles no way guarantees a 3rd round comp yet but it seems somewhat likely.

A team signing foles loses a potential 3rd round comp if they let a similar FA walk (which is a stretch, but worth considering). Trading the 3rd protects their own comp and depending on the deal, might still net them a comp if they let Foles walks (which is incredibly unlikely).

But...

Why would foles not buy his way into fa?

yeah, that's what doesn't make sense to me. It makes strategic sense for the eagles to exercise the option and make Foles buy out - it's 2 million bucks. Anything besides that is a handshake deal or the usual suspects have woefully miscalculated the FA market. Foles is clearly a step ahead of any QB available this offseason, FA or draft.

I still think jags makes the most sense but I don't see them losing a 3rd round comp pick

[Drama Queen]

Right.

I'd think that the Eagles could at least get a third from a team like the Jags who would want to prevent Foles from going to a competitor.

Isn't Foles going to sign the franchise tender as soon as the Eagles use it, meaning that they won't be able to rescind it, and will be on the hook if they don't find a trading partner? That is the risk inherent in all of this.

The team that trades for Foles has guarantee him at least $25 million. The Case Keenum deal will set the bar for Foles - 2 years $36 million with $25 million guaranteed. I'd think Foles would have no trouble getting more than that.

The whole scenario I mentioned above has already been laid out to all parties involved. Everyone knows what’s at stake from each side and everyone knows what the leverage is...

The Eagles, Foles and the Jags (for the purpose of discussion) have already laid out their cards about this.

A deal is done. Is it the Jags? That’s my guess.

[The Duck]

Foles may prefer to get it over with, over the whirlwind free agency tour and all the time, travel, attention, and uncertainty that come with it... especially if he's happy with the team willing to trade for him now, and is satisfied with the restructured contract they offer.

[bobbyuk]

He wouldn’t have to if the Eagles already have a deal in place with a team he approves. All of their dealings with Foles indicates they’ve been working with his camp. From renegotiating his contract, rewarding him for his SB performance to giving him the $1M he just missed out on by 4 snaps. The Senior Bowl is fertile ground for deal making and looking for new assistants. It wouldn’t surprise me if they’d been talking to Nick and his agent to determine which team he’d like to go to if traded. Of course, the other, far-fetched possibility is this—they don’t have to renegotiate Wentz’s deal this year. They can wait another year. He was projected to make about $30M in a new deal. Of course that would mean Foles being the most expensive backup ever, however it would also be a hedge against Wentz getting injured again; however, what if he got injured again in ‘19? The Eagles could decide not to offer him a big deal, trade him, and keep Foles. I keep going back to what Lurie and Roseman said previously—that QB is a position they’d invest heavily in. Plus they’d have to find another younger franchise QB in about 3 years.

[Drama Queen]

This is the way I see it.

The Eagles aren’t playing a game of chicken.

There are 4-6 teams interested in Foles. Foles is probably interested in 2 or 3 with maybe a preference for one. The team that Foles prefers was contacted by the Eagles to work out a trade. All 3 parties worked to find compensation that made sense to each. If the preferred team wasn’t reasonable (like getting Foles’ old QB coach as a OC, working out a contract for Foles, and sending the Eagles better value than a 2020 late 3rd) then the Eagles and Foles moved on and contacted the next team in line.

A deal is done.

[Drama Queen]

Yep.

Id like to add this perspective to my post as to why a deal is already made.

[The Duck]

This is the way I see it.

The Eagles aren’t playing a game of chicken.

There are 4-6 teams interested in Foles. Foles is probably interested in 2 or 3 with maybe a preference for one. The team that Foles prefers was contacted by the Eagles to work out a trade. All 3 parties worked to find compensation that made sense to each. If the preferred team wasn’t reasonable (like getting Foles’ old QB coach as a OC, working out a contract for Foles, and sending the Eagles better value than a 2020 late 3rd) then the Eagles and Foles moved on and contacted the next team in line.

A deal is done.

I think so, too. They didn't need to exercise the option today (they had another 11 days to do it). They did it for a reason, I suspect.

If there's a deal on the table, I'll go out on a limb and say it's with Denver.

[Greenstealth]

Since we are all throwing our hats in the ring as to what will happen, I'm going to say the eagles wanted 2m dollars back because... It's 2 million dollars and foles is going to be a free agent. The eagles will net a 3rd round comp in 2020.

Edited to add, I think they are doing it so early as a favor to nick.

[Drama Queen]

Let’s take Jax. again as an example.

As a market, Jax may feel slightly inferior to other teams that are interested in Foles if he were to hit free agency. So why not be a little aggressive and “woo” Foles and the Eagles early with enough juice to impress?

It’s better than getting into a bidding war with 6 other teams. And for what, a 2nd round pick... or better yet a trade of a player that isn’t quite fitting into your program? IMO, even a second round pick is nothing when it comes to getting a QB. It’s nothing if you can control your destiny and secure him.

[Drama Queen]

You are saying Denver.

I say Jax.

A case could be made for Miami, Oakland, Tampa, Bengals, Arizona...

The point is, there’s a market for Foles. If a team wants him, you go get him! You don’t hope that 6 teams wait it out. That’s rediculous.

I didn’t throw Giants and Washington in there because the Eagles and Foles (because of his legacy in Philly) will avoid that.