WHAT TO EXPECT FROM NICK FOLES IN 2019

Nick Foles is now the face of the Jaguars offense. But what should we be expecting from the former Super Bowl MVP?

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The Jaguars signed four players late last week that were not members of the team in 2018. 

In a later article, we'll look at what to expect from each of the non-quarterbacks signed by the Jaguars. 

But for now, let's take a look at the most critical signing when it comes to the Jaguars offensive and overall success. 

The most impactful free agent signing for the Jags was by far Nick Foles. The 88 million dollar man will be the new face of the franchise . . . for at least two years or so. With nearly all of his guaranteed money coming in the first two seasons, Foles could conceivably be gone following the 2020 season if things don't play out the way the Jaguars are hoping. 

But what should you expect from Foles in 2019?

He's 6'6'' and knows how to maneuver in the pocket, which means you should see far less batted passes than you have with Blake Bortles in years past. Foles is also highly accurate in the middle of the field and anywhere on the field in between 0-20 yards from the line of scrimmage. Deeper down the field his accuracy falls off a bit, but he's still capable of connecting with speedy receivers and big bodied tight ends deep down the field. 

Foles is going to complete the easy passes that are there for him and his new offensive coordinator, John DeFilippo, knows how to create the space on the field that will allow his QB to have success. Foles will fire some lasers in the middle of the field, so Jaguars receivers had better be ready. Even in his last two seasons with the Eagles, he's had his fair share of head-scratching moments; he's not perfect. But given some decent protection and good play from weapons around him, Foles will be a step up from a game manager type QB. He'll dink and dunk all day long and then hit on a big play when no one is expecting it. I would look for the Jaguars to run a lot of quick timing routes and RPOs with Foles at the helm. They'll also mix in some deep fades, a pass Foles has shown great touch on through the years. As a passer Foles will likely operate primarily from the shotgun. 

While Foles isn't the most consistent QB in the NFL, he's also far from the least consistent. Compared to what Jaguars fans have seen from Blake Bortles over the last five years, however, Foles will be far less erratic. While he might have a down drive, or even quarter, he usually follows up poor stretches of play with impressive ones. His game doesn't generally snow ball like Bortles did in years past. 

I think if the Jaguars stand pat with their offensive weapons, Foles might have disappointing returns in 2019. The Jaguars need to add at least one big-time receiving threat at tight end in the upcoming draft, and they probably need to add more competition to the right side of the offensive line. Another wide receiver wouldn't hurt either.

The number one expectation that Jaguars fans should have for Nick Foles entering his first year with the team is leadership. Foles will connect with and push the players around him on the offensive side of the ball. In 2018 there was a severe lack of leadership for the Jaguars on offense. The two captains on that side of the ball were Blake Bortles and Leonard Fournette. With Foles now inserted as the unquestioned leader, accountability should no longer be an issue for the Jaguars offense. 

What are you expecting from Nick Foles in 2019? Let us know in the comments below!