Report: Eagles “Will Let Nick Foles Walk” in Free Agency

Embed from Getty Images

By Paul Bowman, Sports Talk Philly Editor

The Birds cap situation in 2019 is already causing issues for the franchise and the season hasn’t even begun. Because of the cap, Nick Foles will most likely not be an Eagle in 2019. While fans can continue to hope that he decides to take an inexpensive deal and remain with the Birds, we know that he will likely be leaving for a chance to start and get big money.

The idea of a trade has been gaining tractions since the quarterback needy Jacksonville Jaguars hired former Eagles quarterback coach John DeFilippo as their new offensive coordinator. This weekend, CBS suggested that Foles could be traded to the Jaguars for picks and/or Leonard Fournette, further advancing that idea.

On Monday, a report from Cecil Lammey of 104.3 The Fan in Denver, the Eagles will not look for a trade, but allow Foles to reach free agency and take the third-round compensatory pick in the 2020 draft for his signing elsewhere.

According to sources, it sounds like #Eagles will let Nick Foles walk free and clear. Not enough space for tag and trade scenario. Will get 3rd compensatory for him. @1043TheFan – might influence #Broncos interest IMO

— Cecil Lammey (@CecilLammey) January 28, 2019

Lammey would have information about the situation as the Broncos have not gotten the production they hoped for out of starting quarterback Case Keenum and may be looking for another starter.

The report may not be all that much news, however. The key lies with how you interpret “will let Nick Foles walk”. Whether that mean that the Eagles are willing to do that or that they will absolutely be doing that remains unclear.

While the Eagles would certainly like to get more than a compensatory pick for Foles, they are more than $15 million over the projected cap next season and allowing Foles to walk would take his $20 million cap hit off the books. It would be a dangerous move for the Eagles to keep Foles on that type of deal as other teams know that the Eagles need to get rid of him and may offer less than that third-round compensatory pick. The Eagles picking up the contract essentially takes all their leverage away and would require two teams to be seriously interested and outbid each other for a player they know will be released prior to the start of the league year.

Without a trade agreed to in principal prior to picking up the contract, the safest move for Howie Roseman to make would be to allow Foles to walk. Roseman is not always one to make the safest move, however, preferring to make splashes and take bold risks at times, like trading for Golden Tate when the Eagles seemed like they were on the outside looking in at the playoffs. What will he do with Foles? We’ll just need to wait and see.