Nick Foles is at a crossroads with the Philadelphia Eagles and it is partially due to when he was drafted. The quarterback class of 2012 involves Andrew Luck, Russell Wilson, Ryan Tannehill and Robert Griffin III. Everyone is eligible for a contract extension. Luck and Wilson will be earning big-time money while doubt remains as to just how much Foles and Tannehill are worth. Foles was worth a lot in 2013 while having a forgettable 2014. The Eagles have a tough decision to make.
Ask Foles and he says he is the franchise quarterback for the team, returning as the starter in 2015 regardless any other moves made by the Eagles this offseason. However ask the press and Foles is as good as gone while Marcus Mariota comes in and takes over. Foles put together a Pro Bowl season in 2013 with career-high numbers. However, 2014 ended with the quarterback missing the back half of the season while his future in Chip Kelly's system is questioned. In need of a new contract, pending deals for Tannehill and Wilson only complicate things further.
According to ESPN.com, Tannehill is likely to ink a contract in the range of seven years and $105 million making around $15 million per season. Meanwhile, Wilson is about to be made the highest-paid player in the NFL. Where does Foles fall on the spectrum? The quarterback has less playing time than Tannehill but slightly more success. Kelly has made no hints as to what the quarterback future is for the Eagles. There have been no confirmed reports of contract negotiations taking place while it is simply mere speculation the Eagles will draft Mariota in a draft day trade.
Right now, the Eagles have made it clear they aim to re-sign Jeremy Maclin who once again led the team in receiving yards following an ACL tear and are considering a trade or contract restructure for LeSean McCoy. Kelly has made it clear that right now those are the two priorities for the Eagles, pushing Foles down to third on the list at best.
If Mariota is indeed drafted to the Eagles, there is no guarantee he is going to be ready to start Week 1 no matter how familiar he is with Kelly. That would leave the Eagles with Matt Barkley. Getting rid of Foles certainly does not make any sense considering he can still play through one more year and allow someone else to develop if that is the long-term plan. The decision surrounding Foles will be an important one for the Eagles.
