Eagles rumors: Nick Foles admits ‘there was nothing out there’ on free agent market
By Matt Conner
Nick Foles admits there wasn’t a single team who would offer him a starting spot, which is why he ended up heading back to Philadelphia.
When Nick Foles was released by the Kansas City Chiefs, the assumption was that some team was going to offer him a chance at a starting spot. With a career record as a starter of 20-16, Foles’ winning record stands up better than most recycled veteran options available, especially since much of that time was spent with the lowly then-St. Louis Rams. Having just turned 28, Foles is also still quite young and could afford several years as a starter if it was a good fit. Somehow, however, not a single team bit, according to Foles.
"“There was nothing out there. I want to continue to grow as a player, but starting somewhere is the ultimate goal,” said Foles."
The honest summary from Foles gives a puzzling take on the quarterback market. The former Chiefs quarterback looked good even last season in a limited role, winning his only start for the Chiefs and throwing 3 touchdowns and 0 interceptions in a back-up role. The Chiefs offense didn’t miss a beat when Foles went in to play, and given the dearth of starting options around the league, it’s amazing that Foles couldn’t earn a look from the likes of the Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers, Minnesota Vikings or Houston Texans.
Whether or not any or all of those places end up drafting a young quarterback to compete immediately for a starting role, bringing in Foles could also help mentor that player and provide comfort on the depth chart to avoid having to start that prospect immediately. The 49ers look like they’re going to have to wait for Kirk Cousins. The Vikings have an oddly ineffective carousel of Sam Bradford and Teddy Bridgewater’s ghost. The Texans are hoping for Tony Romo, but if they don’t play their cards right, they’re going into the season with Tom Savage and nothing else. The Browns are the Browns, with Cody Kessler at the helm.
Instead, Foles is back with the Eagles, replacing another Chiefs back-up in Chase Daniel, who also has never earned a real chance to start. While NFL general managers likely have their reasons for failing to bring in a Foles or a Daniel to compete for a starting spot, at this point, it doesn’t make sense on paper. No one is calling any of these options a franchise quarterback, but the Chiefs themselves have shown what a team can do with a steady performer at quarterback if a team has a vision for building around him. At the very least, that’s much more fun for a fan base than an obviously lost season before it even begins.