Jaguars Listed as Odds-On Favorites to Sign Nick Foles After Eagles Don’t Tag Him
- The Eagles announced they would not be franchising Nick Foles
- That allows the former Super Bowl MVP to become an unrestricted free agent
- Who will Foles sign with? Is there anyone other than the Jaguars worth betting?
On Wednesday, the Philadelphia Eagles’ Howie Roseman announced that the team would not franchise Nick Foles.
That means Foles, forever a hero in Philly, is hitting the open market.
As an unrestricted free agent, he immediately jumps to the top of the quarterback group. Even without that Super Bowl ring, he’s more desirable than Tyrod Taylor and Teddy Bridgewater.
So with that out of the way, where will Nick Foles land?
Odds to Sign Nick Foles in 2019 Free Agency
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Jacksonville Jaguars | -200 |
| Miami Dolphins | +500 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | +900 |
| Washington Redskins | +900 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | +1200 |
| Oakland Raiders | +1400 |
| New York Giants | +1600 |
| Buffalo Bills | +2500 |
| Arizona Cardinals | +2500 |
| New York Jets | +2500 |
*Odds taken on 02/27/19
As you can see, the Jaguars are considered the Foles front-runners.
#Eagles exec Howie Roseman says that QB Nick Foles will not be franchise tagged. He’ll be a free agent. Foles will be very happy.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 27, 2019
Earlier this month, when it was still believed the Eagles would tag and trade Foles, the Jaguars were seen as co-favorites with the Dolphins to land the Super Bowl 52 MVP. But they came with a much nicer price of +250.
Now they can have him, no strings attached.
Jags are Desperate for Help at QB
The Jaguars need someone. Despite nearly knocking off the Patriots in 2018’s AFC Championship game, Blake Bortles was unable to build off that success.
A lot can change once free agency opens March 13, but for now, the Jacksonville Jaguars will head into free agency as the favorite to land Nick Foles.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 27, 2019
They’ve worked to heal the fractured relationship with Leonard Fournette. If he’s committed, the Jags have an upper-tier running back, and a receiver group that fits Foles’ talents.
If it wasn’t for Bortles’ inaccuracy, these receiving lines may actually look pretty good.
Jaguars 2018 WR Stats
| Receiver | TGT | REC | Catch % | Drops | YDS | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dede Westbrook | 101 | 66 | 65.3 | 6 | 717 | 5 |
| Keelan Cole | 70 | 38 | 54.2 | 7 | 491 | 1 |
| Donte Moncrief | 89 | 48 | 53.9 | 4 | 668 | 3 |
There’s just one problem. Jacksonville doesn’t have the cap room.
They actually have the least cap room in the NFL with just over $500,000. So along with cutting Bortles, Foles may have to take a discount. And there will be teams with more cap room coming.
Dolphins Could Be Big in Nick Foles’ Market
Their main competition could come in the form of the Miami Dolphins.
New head coach Brian Flores is charged with revitalizing the Dolphins. While he’s a defensive mind, he’s very familiar with Miami’s QB situation.
Washington's plans at QB are a mystery. Word on the street is Case Keenum trade makes sense for them. But maybe they'd be interested in Ryan Tannehill. The Dolphins are in full-fledged rebuild and that likely doesn't involve a big ticket QB like Nick Foles. But never say never.
— Omar Kelly (@OmarKelly) February 27, 2019
It’s Ryan Tannehill. And it isn’t good.
The Dolphins are entering the offseason with just over $11 million in cap space. Cutting Tannehill and high-paid veterans like Danny Amendola could create even more room.
The situation isn’t as good as Jacksonville, but Miami could stand to pay Foles significantly more.
Other Contenders Don’t Offer High Value for Nick Foles
When you look at the rest of the teams, there aren’t many names that jump out.
Eli Manning will be back in New York, if you believe Pat Shurmur. The Giants have the cap space to make Foles work, but it would mean a messy divorce with a franchise icon.
Pat Shurmur on Eli Manning: “He’s back.” pic.twitter.com/OWLW3NTQLP
— Ralph Vacchiano (@RVacchianoSNY) February 27, 2019
Staying in the NFC East, the Redskins would be creating a messy situation with Alex Smith’s status up in the air.
If Jon Gruden is moving on from Derek Carr, he’s likely doing it with a rookie QB., not Foles. And the Bills, Cardinals, and Jets? Those teams aren’t pulling the plug on first-round quarterbacks a year in for the 30-year-old Foles.
Jaguars or Bust for Nick Foles
The worst thing that could have happened to Foles was the Broncos trading for Joe Flacco.
Outside of cap space, everything makes sense for the Jags. Especially since Foles’ QB coach with the Eagles, John DeFilippo, is now there as offensive coordinator.
The odds are right. If Foles goes anywhere other than the Jaguars, it’s an upset.
Bryan has spent the last decade working in the sports industry. From the sidelines in the OHL and Rugby League to behind the scenes at TSN, Bryan has a wealth of experience with a soft spot for props and parlays.
