EAGLES WANT TO TRADE FOLES TO JAGUARS FOR THIRD ROUND PICK PER ESPN

Gavin Baker/Icon Sportswire

According to reports from ESPN, the Eagles want to trade Nick Foles to the Jaguars for a third round pick. 

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In what was a supremely awkward ESPN segment during their Super Bowl Sunday Countdown, featuring Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen, it was revealed that the Eagles do, in fact, hope to trade Nick Foles and that they want their trade partner to be the Jaguars. 

Mortensen reported that the Eagles wanted to trade Foles to the Jaguars. Schefter chimed in and let the world know that the Eagles would be looking for a third round pick as compensation for Foles.

So, the Eagles want to trade Nick Foles to the Jaguars for a third round pick...

Because Jacksonville is not in their division and the Jaguars QB coach worked with Foles during the Eagles 2017 Super Bowl run and the Jaguars need a QB.

As I wrote earlier this week, I believe it would be in the best interest of the long term stability of the roster in Jacksonville NOT to trade for a veteran QB.

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I have a myriad of reasons for this line of thinking.

Trading for a veteran when there are players like Tyrod Taylor and Teddy Bridgewater set to hit the open market just doesn’t make sense. All the potential veteran options at QB, via trade of free agency, have warts. None of them are perfect, but there is an argument to be made for nearly all of the potential veteran options.

Why give up a draft asset to acquire one of these vet QBs, when you could sign one of them in free agency for less money and not have to give up draft capital?

Now, don’t get me wrong. If the Jaguars do end up trading a third round pick for Nick Foles I wouldn’t call it the end of the world. The Jags currently hold two 2019 third rounders and there’s a good chance that Nick Foles will be able to find success again in a John DeFilippo offense. With any amount of decent QB play it’s entirely possible that the Jaguars could compete for a playoff spot in 2019.

But I will say this: if the Jaguars trade a third round pick for Foles it becomes even more important that the front office hits on the early draft picks in 2019. The Jaguars offense needs a ton of work and if any of the day one or two picks is a miss then a Nick Foles for a third rounder trade could look very, very stupid down the road, especially if Foles doesn’t lead the Jaguars to the playoffs.

Even if this report holds true, the Eagles will have some contractual work to do in order to make sure they can actually trade Foles. They're expected to pick up Foles' $20 million option. But Foles can buy the Eagles out on that option for just $2 million. If that's the way Foles plays it, then the Eagles would have to franchise tag foles. Then, in order for a trade to go through, Foles would have to sign the franchise tag, which would net him around $25 million in 2019, but wouldn't offer him any long term contract stability. Alternatively the Eagles could forgo picking up Foles' option, saving him $2 million, and just franchise tag him from the get go. Obviously, there's quite a bit that needs to happen in order for Foles to get traded. 

Do you want to see Foles in Jax? Let us know in the comments below.