Category: Nick Foles

Brandin Cooks overtakes Nick Foles for highest dead cap charge after being traded to Texans

Nick Foles no longer holds the highest dead cap charge in football.

While it’s not exactly something the Jacksonville Jaguars will go around parading about, Nick Foles no longer holds the highest dead cap charge in football. That title now belongs to receiver Brandin Cooks, who the Los Angeles Rams traded to the Houston Texans Thursday and will account for a dead cap hit of just under $21 million.

Cooks, 26, signed a five-year, $81 million contract extension with the Rams back in mid-July of 2018. That contract contained $50.5 million in guarantees. Per Over the Cap, he earned $38.4 million under the extension and will be an $8 million cap hit for the Texans this season.

The bad part about Cooks’ addition is that it gives the Jags’ longtime rivals a new weapon for Deshaun Watson after losing receiver DeAndre Hopkins. While Cooks isn’t as good as Hopkins, he still could cause problems for the Jags who are going through a defensive overhaul and need a corner to start alongside Tre Herndon.

Cooks, a former first-round pick from the 2014 draft class, will enter his tenure in the AFC South with 5,730 career receiving yards and 34 touchdowns. In six seasons he managed to total over 1,000 yards four times, however, he’ll be looking to bounce back from his second-lowest career total after garnering just 583 receiving yards in 2019.

Report: Jags trade Nick Foles to Bears for a compensatory fourth-round pick

A year after signing him, the Jags have moved on from veteran QB Nick Foles and traded him to the Chicago Bears.

Under Tom Coughlin’s leadership, the Jacksonville Jaguars signed Nick Foles to the biggest free-agent contract in team history (a four-year deal worth $88 million) in hopes that he’d be a franchise quarterback. Now, a year later, they’ve decided to move on from the veteran.

According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the Jags will be trading Foles to the Chicago Bears and will receive a fourth-round compensatory pick for him. For the 2020 season, the Jags will save a projected amount of over three million towards the cap.

The Jags pranced on Foles last spring after he came off a run in which he replaced Carson Wentz late in the Philadelphia Eagles’ 2017 season. He was able to propel them to and through the playoffs and was named the MVP of Super Bowl LII. That seemingly impressed Coughlin and company enough to take a swing on him last March and the rest is history.

Foles’ luck wasn’t as fortunate with the Jags as he sustained a broken collarbone Week 1 of the regular season against the Kansas City Chiefs. As a result, sixth-round rookie Gardner Minshew II had to step in until Week 11. When Foles was able to return from injury, he wasn’t able to find his groove, which resulted in Minshew being renamed the starter Week 14 against the Los Angeles Chargers.

By the end of the season, Minshew’s success outweighed that of Foles as the rookie finished the season 285-of-470 (60.6%) for 3,271 passing yards, 21 touchdowns, six picks, and was 6-6 as a starter. He was also named Pepsi Rookie of the Week seven times and was Snicker’s Hungriest Player of the Year for 2019.

Foles, on the other hand, was 77-of-117 (65.8%) for 736 yards, three touchdowns, and two picks. While under center he, unfortunately, wasn’t able to register a win with the Jags and was 0-4 as a starter in 2019.
Foles will now join his former offensive coordinator from the Eagles, Frank Reich, in Indy. It was expected that the Colts would be on the quarterback market, so many felt Foles could be an option for them from the jump.

Foles will now head to Chicago to join former Jags offensive coordinator John DeFilippo, who was also his positions coach in Philadelphia. He’ll likely be replacing current Bears quarterback Mitch Trubisky, who hasn’t met expectations since he was drafted in the first-round of the 2017 NFL Draft.

Report: Jags, Colts engaged in trade talks for Nick Foles before Philip Rivers signing

The Jags tried to send Nick Foles off to a divisional rival via trade, but the deal ultimately didn’t go through.

It’s no secret that the Jacksonville Jaguars have at least listened to offers for veteran quarterback Nick Foles, who they signed to a massive contract just a year ago. According to NFL Network insider Mike Garafolo, one of the teams they spoke with is one we suspected in the Jags’ division rivals: the Indianapolis Colts.

Per Garafolo, “draft pick compensation” was being discussed in the deal, too. However, the team ended up signing veteran Philip Rivers to a one-year deal worth $25 million.

This absolutely isn’t a shock that the Jags would reach out to their divisional rivals and is probably an indication of how bad they may want to part ways with the veteran. He has a connection with Indy’s head coach, Frank Reich, who was his offensive coordinator during his Super Bowl run with the Philadelphia Eagles.

With the Colts off the quarterback market, there are still others who could want Foles’ services. One of those teams could be the Chicago Bears, who have two of Foles’ former coaches in Matt Nagy and John DeFilippo. Nagy coach Foles while with the Kansas City Chiefs and DeFilippo, of course, was his offensive coordinator with the Jags and quarterbacks coach with the Eagles.

With veteran quarterback Tom Brady set to sign with the Tampa Bay Bucs, the New England Patriots could be a team to watch as well. They may want a proven veteran to lead them in 2020 and his salary for the upcoming season wouldn’t be unreasonable for them as explained below.

Foles signed a massive four-year, $88 million deal (guaranteeing $45.1 million) with the Jags a year ago. However, he didn’t quite pan out as a broken collarbone sidelined him from most of Week 1 to Week 11 against the Colts. He was benched a few weeks after that return (Week 14 against the Los Angeles Chargers) in favor of surging rookie Gardner Minshew II after struggling to find his groove. In the end, the veteran finished the season 77-of-116 for 736 yards, three touchdowns, and two picks.

Time will tell what the Jags decide to do about Foles but their willingness to talk with the Colts, a divisional foe, about taking him is telling. It’s also telling of how they probably feel about Minshew’s potential as well.

NFL trade rumors: Multiple teams have approached Jags for Nick Foles says Adam Schefter

The Jags could be continuing their overhaul during free agency as veteran Nick Foles has interest from multiple teams.

There were speculations that the Jacksonville Jaguars had conversations to trade quarterback Nick Foles, and now thanks to Adam Schefter, we have confirmation on that. With the tampering period kicking off at noon, Schefter revealed that multiple teams have reached to the Jags for the veteran’s services, so it’s a chance he may not be a Jag for long.

When evaluating Schefter’s statements about the team being reluctant to trade him, fans may be a bit disappointed, however, it could more so be a case of the Jags waiting out the process and upping a potential return.

The Jags brought in Foles for the most expensive free-agent contract in team history (a four-year deal worth $88 million) last spring and he didn’t quite pan out. After sustaining a broken collarbone Week 1of the regular season against the Kansas City Chiefs, rookie Gardner Minshew II stepped in for him until Week 11 against the Indianapolis Colts. Upon his return, he could never find a groove and Minshew was renamed the starter Week 14 against the Los Angeles Chargers.

With the team heading towards a clear rebuild, getting Foles off their books for the future would be huge for their salary cap. For this season, they could also designate a post-June trade which would give them dead cap hits of $6.25 million and $12.5 million throughout 2020 and 2021, respectively. Per Over the Cap, that would allow them to get a relief amount of over $15.5 million in 2020.

The teams to watch out for when it comes to Foles’ services without a question are the Chicago Bears and Indianapolis Colts. The Bears have two of his former coaches in Matt Nagy and John DeFilippo, while the Colts have his former offensive coordinator from the Philadelphia Eagles, Frank Reich.

 

Jags reiterate their confidence in both Nick Foles, Gardner Minshew

As expected, the Jacksonville Jaguars sung a familiar tune at the NFL Combine during their presser meetings: they have two good quarterbacks and the best man will win. Of course, those two quarterbacks are Nick Foles and Gardner Minshew II, both of …

As expected, the Jacksonville Jaguars sung a familiar tune at the NFL Combine during their presser meetings: they have two good quarterbacks and the best man will win. Of course, those two quarterbacks are Nick Foles and Gardner Minshew II, both of whom will be involved in an open competition to start.

With Marrone taking the spotlight first with the media, he stated that the key will be seeing one or the two separate themselves from each other in the preseason, and once that happens, a starter will be crowned.

“The best thing to do is have those guys go out there and have them compete,” Marrone said Tuesday at the Scouting Combine. “When one of them separates themselves, and there’s been enough body of work for it, then that person’s going to be the starting quarterback.

“We’re trying to create that at all of the positions. Quarterback’s no different.”

Caldwell, on the other hand, was complimentary of both players, pointing out Foles’ experience and Minshew’s good rookie campaign.

“Both of those guys are in a situation that they both have proven in their own way that they can be a good quarterback in the NFL,” Caldwell said. “Nick obviously has a much larger body of work than Gardner does. But what Gardner did last year as a rookie I think is very impressive. He won six games and was .500 in the games he started […] He had probably the best stats of any rookie quarterback last year.”

Foles was the Jags’ big free agent acquisition last March and signed a massive four-year, $88 million contract. After coming off a season in which he filled in late for Carson Wentz, propelled the Philadelphia Eagles to the Super Bowl, and became the game’s MVP, Foles unfortunately wasn’t able to sustain his success. He suffered from a collarbone injury Week 1 against the Kansas City Chiefs and was eventually benched Week 14 against the Los Angeles Chargers after returning Week 11. Ultimately, he finished the season 77-of-117 (65.8%) for 736 yards, three touchdowns, and two picks and will be hoping for a bounce back season in 2020.

As for Minshew, he put up better numbers than first round pick Kyler Murray in some categories like passer rating (91.2 to 84.7) and touchdown passes (21 to 20). In terms of completions, he was 85-of-470 (60.6%) for 3,271 passing yards, and threw six picks.

Watch: Gardner Minshew highlights from rookie season

Gardner Minshew II had a solid 2019 season, but he may just be getting started.

The Jacksonville Jaguars didn’t have plans to start quarterback Gardner Minshew II, but when Nick Foles went down Week 1, the rookie got the opportunity of a lifetime and did some impressive things in the process. He ultimately finished the season 285-of-470 (60.6%) for 3,271 passing yards, 21 touchdowns, and six picks, which were stats good enough to compete with  2019 first overall pick Kyler Murray.

Once Foles returned Week 11, it wasn’t long before the job was given back to Minshew (Week 14 vs. the Chargers), and after finishing on a strong note against Indy in the season finale, the argument could be made he will be QB1 in 2020. Of course, the season wasn’t a perfect one for the rookie but plenty of promise was shown, and if he can continue his growth, the Jags may be in good hands.

Here’s a full roundup of Minshew’s top highlights for 2019 as he went 6-6 on the season:

Feel free to listen to the archived episodes of Bleav in Jags, too, and subscribe via Apple podcasts, Google Play, or Spotify.

Ep. 3

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4 Nick Foles trade partners that make sense for Jaguars

There are several teams who could entertain acquiring Nick Foles, who could flourish under the right circumstances like those of the Colts.

The Jacksonville Jaguars made their biggest free agent swing in team history last March with the signing of Nick Foles, and it unfortunately, didn’t pay off (at least in 2019). With an expensive contract now on their hands from the veteran and Gardner Minshew II showing enough promise to be the starter instead, many now believe the Jags should look to trade Foles to remove themselves from what could be a mistake.

According to Minshew himself, there will be an open competition between the two quarterbacks, however, if the Jags change their minds and decide to trade Foles, here are four teams that make sense as trade partners:

Mandatory Credit: James Lang-USA TODAY Sports

Indianapolis Colts

While they are the Jags divisional rivals, this is an easy one to point out. The Colts’ head coach, Frank Reich, was Foles’ offensive coordinator during the 2017 season when Philly won the Super Bowl (and in 2016, too).

It’s not exactly a secret that the Colts will be looking to add a quarterback this offseason. Some think it will be Philip Rivers, another quarterback who worked with Reich in the past. Reich was the veteran’s position coach in 2013, then his offensive coordinator from 2014-15. When considering their relationship, he’s clearly going to be an option on the table for the Colts this offseason

My counter to that, however, is that Rivers simply doesn’t have it anymore and isn’t the quarterback he was when Reich was there. At least with the right conditions, Foles has a chance remotely reflect to the Super Bowl MVP the Jags thought they were getting. Additionally, it would require a draft pick from the Jags to get the deal done, much like the Brock Osweiler trade a few years back.

I mean, let’s face it, taking a draft pick from a divisional opponent would have to be appealing for Indy, especially in addition to getting a player who could come right in and pick up the playbook with ease.

As for their available cap space, Indy is second in that category with over $86 million in available money at the moment. That number will decrease in time, but still, they could ingest Foles’ deal with ease this offseason.

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Poll: What’s your confidence rating in Jags’ QB situation?

In a 2019 season in which didn’t go how Jacksonville Jaguars fans had hoped, they at least received a pleasant surprise at the most important position on the field. As a result of a collarbone injury to Nick Foles, sixth-round rookie Gardner Minshew …

In a 2019 season in which didn’t go how Jacksonville Jaguars fans had hoped, they at least received a pleasant surprise at the most important position on the field. As a result of a collarbone injury to Nick Foles, sixth-round rookie Gardner Minshew II had to come in and start in 12 games for the team and was able to acquire a 6-6 record in the process.

Fast-forward to present day and it appears Minshew’s intriguing season was enough to earn him and open competition to be crowned the starter in 2020. However, that also means it’s a possibility that Nick Foles could start, but ultimately, fans will have to wait until some point between the team’s return from the offseason and the start of the regular season to find out.

Many would argue that the job should be Minshew’s because Foles’ résumé isn’t overly impressive when asked to be a full-time starter. Ultimately, the rookie finished the 2019 season 285-of-470 (60.6%) for 3,271 passing yards, 21 touchdowns, and six picks. A strong argument could be made that his campaign was the strongest of any rookie quarterback in the 2019 class as he threw for more touchdowns than Arizona’s Kyler Murray (21 to 20) and had a higher passer rating (91.2 to 84.7).

Despite that success, it’s worth mentioning that Minshew had some concerning outings against teams like the New Orleans Saints, Houston Texans (second game), and a few others where he was kept in the pocket and struggled as a result. Some fans still are iffy on his arm strength, too, and feel there are better overall prospects in the draft.

Foles, on the other hand, registered four starts and was 77-of-117 (65.8%) on the season for 736 yards and three touchdowns. He returned from his collarbone injury Week 11, but could never gain any momentum after sitting the first two quarters of the season out.

Simply put, some fans thought he came into Jacksonville as a career backup, and with the team firing the man who knew him the best in coordinator John DeFilippo, they aren’t high on him bouncing back in 2020.

The organization has continually banged the drum of having two good quarterbacks, but some fans would argue the uncertainty at the position isn’t necessarily a good thing. That’s exactly why we came up with a new poll to see where a majority of the fanbase’s thoughts are when it comes to the Jags’ quarterback situation.

Below we’ve provided a ratings poll from one to five, with five obviously being very confident and one being the exact opposite. Feel free to give us your feedback and pass the poll along, as it appears the Jags may feel the answer at quarterback is currently on the roster.

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CBS slots Jags at No. 27 spot of power rankings

Occasional Jags radio analyst Pete Prisco slotted the team at the No. 27 spot of his power rankings, which is actually better than others.

The Jacksonville Jaguars’ 2019 season was one in which was hard to watch and fans actually rejoiced its end. They only bested their win total from 2018 by just one win with a 6-10 record, well below their expectations.

Someone who watched them extensively throughout the process was CBS Sports and occasional Jags radio analyst Pete Prisco, who recently released his post-Super Bowl power rankings with the Jags slotted at the No. 27 spot.

27. Jacksonville Jaguars

Even after the bad showing last season, coach Doug Marrone is back. They have a new offensive coordinator in Jay Gruden, who has to decide on Gardner Minshew or Nick Foles as his quarterback.

The Jags named Jay Gruden to their staff last month, and as Prisco pointed out, he’ll be an important part of the Jags’ season if they are to have a turnaround. While his run with the Washington Redskins ended unimpressively, his success as on offensive coordinator certainly indicates that he can get the Jags’ offense right.

In addition to deciding on who will be the better option behind center, the Jags will need to find pieces around which ever quarterback is declared the winner. The Jags’ offensive line needs boosting, they need significant upgrades at tight end, and could use a receiver to pair with DJ Chark Jr., so Gruden will have his work cut out for him. If Gruden can overcome the Herculean task, however, the Jags could find themselves further up Prisco’s power rankings this fall.

As for the rest of the AFC South, Prisco slotted the Houston Texans and Tennessee Titans at the No. 10 and No. 11 spots, respectively. The Indianapolis Colts came in behind them at the No. 20 spot.

ESPN lays out 2 free agent scenarios where Jags trade Nick Foles at a hefty price

ESPN’s Bill Barnwell lays out some domino scenarios for the Jags to trade Nick Foles while landing a starting QB.

While it looks like the Jacksonville Jaguars are gearing up for a quarterbacks competition between Gardner Minshew II and Nick Foles, others feel Foles could be traded this offseason. It’s a possibility that ESPN seemingly hasn’t ruled out either, as writer Ben Barnwell laid out some free agent domino scenarios where the Jags added a new starting quarterback and traded Foles.

Both scenarios were a result of the domino effect of Tom Brady moving on from the New England Patriots. In scenario No. 1, Brady signed with the Los Angeles Chargers as it was announced they would be moving on from Philip Rivers. In Barnwell’s scenario, this caused Rivers to sign with the Jags on a four year deal for $100 million, then dumping Foles and his salary off on the Indianapolis Colts via trade.

So on top of Rivers’ crazy contract, what did it cost to ship Foles you ask?

Well, the Jags shipped their No. 20 overall selection to the Colts to get them to eat the contract. Indy then packaged up their firsts to trade up for Tua Tagovailoa.

Simply put, there is no way the Jags would go for this. First and foremost, the only person the Jags need to be shelling out a $100 million contract to is Yannick Ngakoue, so they definitely wouldn’t burn that type of money on a struggling quarterback like Rivers.

Secondly, I could see the Jags trading Foles to their division rivals in the Colts, but definitely not at the expense of a first, second, or probably not even a third-round pick. This is something Jags Wire contributor Phil Smith and I actually discussed this week on the “Bleav in Jags Podcast.”

In the second domino scenario, Brady ended up with the Colts. That trickled into the Jags trading down with the Miami Dolphins at the expense of their 2020 first rounders and a 2021 first-rounder. The Dolphins also temporarily took Foles before the Eagles ended up back with him.

Again, this is a scenario that’s absolutely hard to see unfolding. While I haven’t completely ruled out general manager Dave Caldwell acquiring a quarterback (listen to the podcast), it’s still very unlikely. One thing that certainly won’t happen is him trading up for a quarterback at the cost of three first-rounders. Simply put, the pairing of Gardner Minshew II and Jay Gruden is intriguing and the rookie has done more than enough for Caldwell to trust him at least for the season of 2020.

Ultimately time will tell what the Jags do at quarterback, but based on Caldwell’s history, he probably won’t be giving up a ton of draft capital to do so — if at all. Their cap situation says they also won’t be paying a quarterback crazy money either, which strongly points to Minshew being their top option.