Foles: Feeling better ever day

PHILADELPHIA >> When the Eagles studied Nick Foles before the 2012 NFL draft, what struck them was the sheer size. We’re talking about a double-take.

“A massive individual,” then Eagles assistant Matt Nagy recalled. “Long arms, huge hands, big feet. He can hose the ball, can throw it however far he wants to throw it. Can see over the pocket. He’s sneaky athletic.”

Doug Pederson, then the quarterbacks coach, was dispatched to Arizona to get together with the 6-6, 243-pound Foles, who wears size 16 cleats and has 10 -inch hands. The Eagles took Foles off the board in the third round of the draft.

The scouting parties have come full circle for Nagy, the head coach of the Bears, who oppose the Eagles Sunday at Soldier Field.

“It was a roller coaster for Nick, too,” Nagy said. “He hit a lull. And for us to be able to be there for him and be a part of that and now to see what he’s done? He’s as good of a person as there is and you appreciate that. It’s awesome. It goes to show the experiences you get throughout this business.”

The size also makes Foles easier to spot. Picture a giraffe running across the Sahara. Foles has taken shots to the rib cage in each of his last two starts, convincing him to add more Kevlar to his protective flak jacket. Just enough so he still can get away.

“A little bit of soreness ,but every day drastically improving,” Foles said of the ribs. “A lot of time working on recovery, getting ready for this game. But I feel great . ...

“By game day, I’ll feel great.”