Eagles expected to pick up Foles option, then the questions arise

This won’t dramatically shake up QB decisions, but it will influence them.

The Philadelphia Eagles are ready to part ways with quarterback Nick Foles, but it will not be a simple process. The Eagles hold a $20 million option that they are expected to exercise, according to NFL Network reporter Ian Rapoport. At that point, there are several ways this can go. Our friends at Bleeding Green Nation did a great job breaking it down. Here’s the tl;dr.

• Foles has an option to get out of the $20 million option if he pays back $2 million of bonus money.
• Foles likely has to figure that out by February 7th
• If he opts out and pays back the bonus money, he can become a free agent at the start of the new league year. If he walks in free agency, the Eagles would be eligible for a compensatory pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
• The Eagles could use the franchise or transition tag on him and then turn around and trade him.

Adam Schefter is now reporting that the Eagles plan on pursuing the franchise tag option and then hope to trade him for a third round pick.

Whether he walks in free agency or is tagged and traded, Foles is all but certain to end up with a new team in 2019. BGN suggested the Cincinnati Bengals and Miami Dolphins. Andy Dalton is signed through 2020, but their new head coach is the brother of the Eagles quarterback coach, so that is something to watch.

Foles will make some good money on his next contract, but he will likely be viewed as a bridge quarterback wherever he ends up. We can almost assuredly rule the New York Giants out given that either Eli Manning remains the guy, or he is the bridge to a draft pick. The Oakland Raiders might be interested in a quarterback in the draft, but it sounds like Derek Carr could end up as their bridge quarterback.

But the Dolphins and Jacksonville Jaguars are two teams to watch, and maybe the Tampa Bay Buccaneers given their questions about Jameis Winston. Foles won’t break the market, but he will be an influencer in how things shake out between now and the 2019 NFL Draft.

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