Let’s just put this out there first. If there was a real trade market for Los Angeles Rams quarterback Nick Foles, he would have already been traded. It’s difficult to see a team angling for a guy coming off the worst season of his life.
In 2015 Foles started 11 games for the Rams, completed a career-low 56.4 percent of his passes for 2,052 yards, seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions. His yards gained per pass attempt was a ridiculous 6.1 and his yards per completion was 10.8.
Fisher talks about Nick Foles' absence at Rams OTAs
Press Conference 📺 | https://t.co/yZRB5KdvNM pic.twitter.com/JTQDjxDgYS
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) June 2, 2016
Now, I’m a firm believer that not all of that was Foles’ fault. Jeff Fisher hired Frank Cignetti in the offseason as the team’s offensive coordinator and was so excited about his performance in that job that he fired him in December, replacing him with Rob Boras. Funny thing was, Boras was the guy that Fisher turned down for the job in the preseason.
Foles was still benched for Case Keenum and while the offense still didn’t light up the scoreboard, Keenum did win a few games and, for now at least, is listed as the team’s starter as offseason activities begin.
No one believes that, really, since the Rams did a reverse RG3 trade to move up to No. 1 in April’s draft and take Jared Goff out of California. Foles had every reason to believe that he could beat out Keenum in camp, and he would have. What he knew after the Rams made the trade for Goff is that it wouldn’t matter who he beat out. Goff was the future. Foles was just going to be a footnote.
"I think Nick (Foles) has the feeling that if things stay the same, he's probably not going to be on the roster." pic.twitter.com/Nym66vQ7Yi
— NFL Total Access (@NFLTotalAccess) June 1, 2016
Since Goff was drafted Foles has missed out on all Rams activities. He has been in contact with Jeff Fisher and this is what Fisher said, “I’ve had conversations with Nick and we’re on the same page. And we’re trying to work these out. And that’s pretty much all I can say.”
Which is weird, because then he said some more stuff.
“These (OTAs) are voluntary,” Fisher said after saying all he could say. “We have three quarterbacks on the field right now. It’s hard enough to get reps for all of them. We’re in the process of sorting things out with Nick. It has nothing to do with him not wanting to come in and compete at all. He’s very, very competitive. We appreciate everything he did for us and his leadership. His teammates miss him. I don’t have any more information. We’re just trying to work things out.”
Rams coach Jeff Fisher on Nick Foles: "He has not been here to participate since the draft … We're trying to work things out."
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) June 1, 2016
What Fisher and the Rams are trying to work out is finding a way to get some sort of value out of Foles without just outright cutting him. They’ve already paid him a $6 million roster bonus so that money is gone. If they cut him, he’ll cost $8.75 million against the cap. They’d like to avoid that if they can.
While the cap hit for Foles is big, his remaining salary isn’t so bad. He’s due just $1.75 million this season so while Foles’ cap number may be daunting, the actual money he’ll cost to keep with the Rams, or for another team, isn’t that bad. The problem for Foles is, everybody seems pretty set at what they’re doing at quarterback. Especially the team he’s already on.
The Rams depth chart, regardless of what Fisher says, will end up Goff at No. 1, Keenum at No. 2 and Sean Mannion at No. 3. I feel like Foles is better than both Keenum and Mannion and he probably does too. But cutting one of those guys to keep Foles is probably a non-starter too. Foles wants a shot to be the guy. You can’t blame him.
Where is Foles best shot for that? The New York Jets are the obvious choice as they still don’t have a starter on the roster, but he’d be basically in Sam Bradford’s position in Philadelphia. He’d be holding down a place while the Jets prepare one of their young quarterbacks of the future. Plus, I don’t see that happening because they’d rather have Ryan Fitzpatrick back.
Foles needs to look at a place with an older quarterback that might get hurt. Some place where he can gamble, sit a year or two, and have the chance to step in and restart his career. Yes, there’d be a hole there but if he really wants to start again, that’s what he needs to do.
So where is that? The Pittsburgh Steelers are an obvious choice. Roethlisberger seems to always miss a game or two every year and Foles is built just like him. The Kansas City Chiefs would be perfect. Foles would be back with Andy Reid and, just like Roethlisberger, Smith seems to get knocked out of a few games per year. The San Diego Chargers and Chicago Bears would be good too.
Foles has a future. He’s too talented to not land on a team and right now he’s kind of stuck. If the Rams can’t work a trade, I have little doubt he’ll get cut probably before training camp begins. That’s when he’ll have to make a real decision about the kind of career he wants to have.
