The NY Jets are looking for a new quarterback and heading into the winter, a Nick Foles trade could be a potential target, as the Philadelphia Eagles are hoping to draft Marcus Mariota and if he slips in the NFL draft to number six at New York, they could consider a deal with Chip Kelly and this comes as the team likely will released Percy Harvin this offseason.
The Jets are coming into the 2015 season with a new regime in charge in Todd Bowles and Mike Maccagnan and they are putting a premium on the draft as they try and build their team. Geno Smith remains on the roster, but the team wants more options at quarterback for 2015. According to Pro Football Talk, Josh McCown and Brian Hoyer are potential free agent targets along with Jake Locker, who is not expected to re-sign with the Titans.
According to the NY Daily News, the Jets and Eagles would be solid partners for a "blockbuster" trade depending on how the first five picks of the draft come out. The Eagles reportedly are interested in trading up to draft Mariota and with some mock drafts predicting Mariota slips to number six, the Jets could be in line to make a move with Philly. Manish Mehta writes that Foles could be a solid option to take over for the Jets, as he has proven he can play at a high level in the NFL and he could be in line to get a long term deal from the team if he turns out to be a success. Foles has started for two seasons under Chip Kelly and has experience that Mariota doesn't have.
Foles went 14-5 under Kelly in two seasons and he is coming into the offseason after dealing with an injury and playing in eight games this past year. Foles had 27 touchdowns and two picks in 2013 and last season he ended up with 13 turnovers, including 10 interceptions. Mariota has all the stats from college, putting up over 50 total touchdowns and throwing just a few picks this season, but he has never done it in the NFL. Mariota may be perfect for the Eagles, but he may not be a perfect fit for the Jets and that is the crux for the team as they plot their next moves.
The Jets could get draft picks in the deal and if Foles doesn't work out, they won't be on the hook long term and would have some picks to show for it. The regime likely does not want to fail miserably on their first quarterback after what happened during the John Idzik and Rex Ryan era and this could be a way to deal with that potential situation. The Jets need an upgrade on offense and they have a high amount of cap space heading into the 2015 season.
While the team is hoping Mariota slips to number six, they also have to be aware of the fact that he may not be successful in the NFL. The Jets want a young quarterback to take over as the franchise star, but they could end up back at square one of Mariota doesn't pan out. Some think that the team could trade for a safer option and names like Nick Foles and Jay Cutler have come up as potential targets.
