Last year, Eagles quarterback Nick Foles tiptoed around the elephant in the room regarding his football future, opting to accept the reality that he remained under contract in Philadelphia for 2018 and not jostling for a trade. This year, Foles needs to be ready to take a stand.
If, as it appears, the Eagles will play out Foles’ contractual situation in a way that allows them to control his rights for 2019, Foles needs to be sure that everyone realizes that he has plenty of power. From the Eagles exercising a $20 million option for 2019 to Foles invoking his right to buy his freedom for $2 million to the Eagles applying the franchise tag at $25 million or so, Foles should make it clear that he will gladly sign the one-year tender, refuse to sign a long-term contract with the Eagles or someone else that doesn’t take into account the $30 million or so he’d make under the tag in 2020, and prepare to go year to year, Kirk Cousins-style, until Foles gets a fair contract from whoever holds his rights or a chance to hit the open market.
Still only 29 years old (he turns 30 in five days), Foles has several years left in the NFL. It’s time for him to finally get a financial reward for his actual and potential contributions, and if the Eagles intend to apply the franchise tag as a precursor to trading Foles, Foles needs to make it clear that he’s no longer going to be a passive participant in the business aspects of his career.
Once that franchise tag is applied and accepted, Foles will have real leverage. And he will need to use it.