FORMER PACKER IS FOLES BACKER
It seemingly wouldn't be an Eagles season without a Carson Wentz- Nick Foles debate.
On Tuesday, former Packers quarterback Brett Favre, a former teammate and longtime friend of Eagles coach Doug Pederson, said on ESPN's "First Take" that the Eagles should have kept Foles over Wentz heading into the 2019 season.
Foles, of course, replaced Wentz late in the 2017 season when Wentz tore his anterior cruciate ligament. Wentz was on track to win the league's MVP award, but Foles took the Eagles to their first Super Bowl victory. Foles again replaced an injured Wentz late in the 2018 season and led the Eagles to the playoffs.
The Eagles let Foles leave as a free agent after that season. He signed with the Jaguars, lost his starting job, then was traded to the Bears, with whom he eventually replaced starter Mitch
Trubisky this season.
Pederson was asked three times Wednesday about Favre's comments. The first two times, Pederson gave basically the same answer, without necessarily disagreeing with it:
‘‘ I respect Brett's opinion,’’ Pederson said. ‘‘ We are friends. I haven't talked to him, and he's entitled to that, and that's about it.’’
It wasn't until the third time that Pederson was asked what he thought of Favre's comments when he replied, ‘‘ Carson's our guy.’’
‘‘ Carson was our draft pick [ No. 2 overall in 2016],’’ Pederson said. ‘‘ Carson's the guy who's going to carry us and lead this football team. Listen, everybody is entitled to their own opinion. Those aren't my words. Those aren't [ general manager] Howie [ Roseman's] words, [ team owner] Jeffrey [ Lurie's] words. Those are his words. I respect that opinion. Whatever he wants to say, that's fine. We're going to remain friends. That doesn't bother me one way or the other.’’
Favre's comment on the ESPN show was, “I think [ Wentz] is very capable. I think we’re all in agreement that he has the tools. I actually thought they should have kept Nick Foles rather than Carson Wentz, just based off of production and where they got to.
‘‘ You know, they won a Super Bowl with Foles. They’re obviously banking on [ Wentz’s] upside, but how many more years do you let him linger before you stick with him or cut bait?”
Both quarterbacks are struggling this season. Wentz leads the NFL with 12 interceptions and 16 total turnovers. He also has a career- worst passer rating of 73.1 and completion percentage of 58.4.
Foles took over for Trubisky after the Bears started out 3- 0. They're 2- 4 since. In those six games, Foles has thrown 10 touchdown passes against seven interceptions with a completion percentage of 65.6. His passer rating is 83.3.