NFL Rumors: Will Jaguars Acquire Nick Foles? Why Eagles QB Makes Sense In Jacksonville

After a miserable 5-11 season, the Jacksonville Jaguars could be desperate this offseason to find a new starting quarterback and take advantage of the team’s young talent while it is still in Jacksonville. According to a recent list from NFL.com reporter Gregg Rosenthal, the 2017 AFC runner-up is the most likely destination for Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foles.

Rosenthal cited the Jaguars’ desperation and recent hiring of John DeFilippo as factors leading him to believe Jacksonville will end up with Foles. DeFilippo will be the new offensive coordinator in Jacksonville after holding that role for most of the 2018 season with the Minnesota Vikings.

He was also the quarterbacks coach in Philadelphia when Foles guided the Eagles to a Super Bowl victory, so he has a working relationship with Foles.

The biggest impediment to getting Foles in Jacksonville will be money. The Jaguars do not have a lot of salary cap space to work with, and even if they get rid of incumbent quarterback Blake Bortles, it will not provide a great deal of space. Bortles has a dead cap hit of $16.5 million next year.

It is not entirely clear yet just how much it will cost to get Foles. He could become a free agent due to his expiring contract, but the Eagles could make him trade-bait by using the franchise tag or picking up a $20 million option on his contract. A needy team like the Jaguars could need to give up draft picks as well as cap space to acquire him.

Simply put, even with the financial constraints the Jaguars face, Foles might be the best option to save head coach Doug Marrone and general manager Dave Caldwell’s jobs. This is not considered a great quarterback draft class and the Super Bowl LII MVP might be the best veteran on the market.

It could be a competitive market, though, as other teams like the Denver Broncos are seemingly a quarterback away from being competitive. Rosenthal listed Denver, Washington, the Miami Dolphins and New York Giants as possible landing spots for Foles.