NO, THE JAGUARS SHOULD NOT TRADE FOR NICK FOLES

Gavin Baker/Icon Sportswire

Rumors of a Jaguars trade for Nick Foles have been swirling as of late, but the Jaguars shouldn't go down that path. 

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Since before the 2018 season even ended, Jaguars fans have been clamoring to figure out who the next starting QB will be in Jacksonville. One of the hottest names at water coolers across the city has been Eagles QB Nick Foles. Some have suggested the Jaguars could trade draft picks for Foles, or perhaps a defensive asset. Now, Will Brinson of CBS Sports has chimed in. In his latest mock draft he predicted the Jaguars would trade Leonard Fournette for Nick Foles straight up. 

Wow! 

What a blockbuster that would be! A 2017 fourth overall pick in exchange for a Super Bowl winning QB would be a massive headline with major implications for the 2019 NFL season. 

But I'm here to squash your dreams of St. Nick donning the black and teal of the Jaguars. That's right, the Jaguars should avoid trading for Nick Foles, or any other veteran QB, for that matter. 

I understand why some media and fans would think that the Jaguars trading for Nick Foles would be an ideal move. After all, the Jaguars are just some decent QB play away from returning to the playoffs. Plus, Foles had a spectacular, Super Bowl winning season in 2017 with Jaguars' new OC John DeFilippo as his QB coach. 

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While those facts seemingly make Nick Foles an attractive offseason trade option for the Jaguars, there's absolutely no way you can convince me that trading for Foles is the right move. 

Could a trade for Foles help the Jaguars return to the playoffs in 2019? Absolutely. But would trading for him be a good move for the overall franchise health of the Jaguars? Absolutely not. 

Here's why:

1. Trading any assets for a veteran QB who has never had an ounce of success outside of Philly is a big risk. He's had the opportunity to start for the Rams and was a shell of what we've seen for the Eagles over the last two seasons. 

2. There are a number of soon to be free agent QBs that are viable options. Tyrod Taylor, Teddy Bridgewater and Josh McCown all represent cheaper options as bridge QBs and wouldn't require the Jaguars to move on from any player or draft capital. Taylor and Bridgewater might actually be better players than Foles. McCown would certainly be the cheapest option, but his success with John DeFilippo as his OC in 2015 offers some evidence that he could be a nice bridge QB for the Jaguars. 

3. The Jaguars MUST add as much talent to the offensive side of the ball. Trading away draft picks for Foles would reduce the chances of that happening. His pricey contract would also limit the Jaguars' ability to sign any free agent playmakers.

4. If the Jaguars were to make a blockbuster trade for any veteran QB it would give the front office a built-in excuse to not use their top pick on Dwayne Haskins or Kyler Murray. This would allow Tom Coughlin and company to, yet again, commit QB malpractice by passing on a potential franchise guy at the most important position in sports.

5. Despite what you might think, Leonard Fournette still has a ton of potential to become an impact RB in this league. Trading him away would not only mean the Jaguars would be giving up their most talented offensive weapon, but it would mean the Jaguars would have to completely rebuild their running back room in 2019. Fournette's primary backups, TJ Yeldon and Corey Grant, are both set to be free agents. 

The bottom line here is this: Why would you trade any draft or player capital to acquire a QB with a huge cap number that will ultimately end up being a bridge QB to whoever is next in Jacksonville? Why would you reduce your chances of landing impact offensive players in the draft and free agency when, instead, you could sign a veteran at a cheaper number that will have similar productivity?

A trade for Nick Foles, or any other veteran, is not the most prudent option for the Jaguars this offseason. I would suggest the Jaguars should sign one of the three aforementioned veteran QBs and draft either Dwayne Haskins or Kyler Murray in the first round. ​