The Jaguars drafted Blake Bortles with a first-round draft choice to be their franchise quarterback. They re-signed him to a three-year deal worth $54 million, including $26.5 million guaranteed, after the 2017 season to be their franchise quarterback. It did not work out.
In March, the Jaguars signed Nick Foles to a four-year deal worth $88 million, including $50.125 million in guaranteed money, to replace Bortles as the franchise quarterback. It is not working out.
Foles was benched during Sunday’s game.
He has played 173 snaps in four games, meaning he will have made $177,746 per snap this season if he doesn’t play again, according to Michael DiRocco of ESPN.
Jaguars coach Doug Marrone said he would talk to both quarterbacks before making a decision about next week.
It appears, though, that Foles has lost his job to Gardner Minshew, who went 16-of-27 for 147 yards with a touchdown and an interception after Foles was 7-of-14 for 93 yards and an interception. Foles also had a fumble returned for a touchdown.
“It’s not easy,” Foles said of the benching, via DiRocco. “This is not an easy game. Tough situation, but I’m going to continue to put one foot in front of the other and keep moving. Like I said before, it’s a trial and the trials keep coming. Not easy, but I know where my heart is and where my faith is and what I’m going to lean on in this time like I always do in the good and the bad.
“Never want to go through it. Difficult, but you know what I’m going to look at the bright things and continue to keep my head held high and continue to keep moving forward.”
In the three games since returning from a broken collarbone, Foles has accounted for 782 yards and 33 points, per DiRocco.
The Jaguars not only have a decision to make about their starting quarterback for this week. They have a harder decision to make after the season.
The Jaguars would take a salary cap hit of $21.375 million in dead money if they designate Foles as a post-June 1 cap hit. A post-June 1 trade would save the Jaguars $15.875 million and include a dead cap hit of $6.25 million.