Nick Foles knows his time in Philly is likely nearing an end
PHILADELPHIA (AP) >> Nick Foles is in a unique situation, a Super Bowl MVP trying to lead his team to a second straight championship knowing he will most likely play somewhere else next season.
Nothing about what Foles has done for the Philadelphia Eagles is ordinary.
“I’m not worried about the future but I understand where I stand and every time I wear that jersey is special,” Foles said Wednesday. “We get one more week together, at least.”
The Eagles (10-7) face the New Orleans Saints (13-3) in a NFC divisional playoff game on Sunday thanks to Foles’ heroics in the clutch again.
He filled in when Carson Wentz sustained a knee injury in 2017 and led the Eagles to their first NFL title since 1960, going 5- 0 in games that he started and finished.
Foles returned to the starting lineup after a back injury sidelined Wentz last month and has led the Eagles to four straight wins, including a 16-15 comeback victory at Chicago in the wildcard round. Facing the NFL’s stingiest defense, Foles tossed a 2-yard touchdown pass to Golden Tate on fourth down with 56 sec-
onds remaining.
But no matter how far Foles can take the Eagles, it probably won’t change his standing on the team. Wentz is the franchise quarterback. He finished third in NFL MVP voting in his second season as a pro. He returned quickly after surgery to repair two torn knee ligaments, started 11 games and posted career highs in completion rate (69.6 percent) and passer rating (102.2) despite battling inconsistency and injury.
“He’s the guy we drafted and moving forward, he’s our quarterback,” coach Doug Pederson said, re- peating the same thought several times.
The Eagles must decide by mid- February if they want to exercise a $20 million option to keep Foles for 2019. That’s a big price to pay a backup, though Wentz is scheduled to make a base salary of $720,000 next season with a salary cap total of about $8.5 million.
If the team declines the option, Foles becomes a free agent. If the option is picked up, Foles has five days to choose whether to accept it or void it and pay back a $2 million signing bonus. Philadelphia could elect to exercise the option and trade Foles. His salary would become fully guaranteed on March 18, the fifth day of the league year.