MONDAY MORNING QUARTERBACK

It's something that rarely comes up at that position but it's always an interesting dilemma when you have a passer that is a lesser athlete playing at a higher level (or seeming to raise the team to a higher level) than the high draft pick with superior talent still working to develop.

I think it would be in the Eagles best interest to shop Foles for the best possible return and continue to build around Wentz, and with Justin Herbert's announcement that he will remain in school the time to do it has definitely come up.

 

Rumors started circulating this morning that Matt Stafford may be on the way out of Detroit.

His contract is going to make it difficult, but if it's a mutual parting of ways they might be able to restructure it in a manner that is more team friendly prior to dealing him (probably in a trade that he would have to approve of before inking a new deal).

 

If they're dealing Stafford, I'd imagine that indicates they're down to rebuild entirely, right? I think the team needs it, honestly. But if they're dealing Stafford, does the current GM (two years in, now? Three?) get to run the show for the rebuild (presuming that's the plan)?

 

Dealing Stafford should give the Lions draft pick(s) and cap space. BOTH are required for a rebuild. IF a rebuild is the plan, they better make damn sure that their GM is the one to do it.

 

I'll be shocked if the Eagles are able to work out a trade for Foles. It would take both parties signing the extension to give them the rights to negotiate a trade. I think Foles team would rather have full control over his negotiations with what ever teams throw their hat in the ring. IF he manages to get them to the playoffs, he will be a hot commodity that will easily command $22M/year on a contract. The current extension worth $20M for one year can be voided by him at a $2M cost...thus making it a moot point if they don't want outside interference on a contract negotiation. A team might be willing to give him a 3-5 year contract, but not if they have to compensate the Eagles, etc...

In the end, I think Foles will be a free agent, and the top free agent QB on the market. He will be valuable in, what I consider, a down rookie draft market.

If they make the playoffs and go on to win at least one playoff game, his stock goes to $25M per year, imho. This is a realistic scenario, the only things they need to happen is a win against the Skins and the Bears beat the Vikings.

I'm not sure where the rumors are coming from, but I am surprised by them. It would be very tricky to get the $30M cap hit off the books in a trade. Both sides would have to be extremely motivated to get this to work... If the LIONS want to move Stafford that badly, what team would want him that badly to work with the Lions to make this happen? The contract is actually team friendly for a trading team, but the hit to the Lions would have to be minimized for it to work and I don't know if there is a means to an end here.

 

Interesting stuff on Stafford. In my opinion, blow it up and get value for Stafford now before its too late or his back goes completely out.

Seems like the lions started cashing in when Tate was dealt... not so sure any part of that team/organization is on the same page... Matt Patricia must be dreading his gig in Detroit and I think a lot of the players arnt really playing for him either. Just don't like some of the reports I hear about the way things are run in Detroit. Something has to give and someone has to take control of things.

 

I don't think they will view it as a rebuild, but when you need to replace a franchise (arguably) quarterback to start off a new era then it's difficult to see it as anything else.

If they deal Stafford... (IMO) -

1. Bob Quinn and Matt Patricia are going to be working together in Detroit for a long time (ownership has bought in)
2. Jim Bob Cooter and some other offensive staff members are likely out
3. A 'budget' quarterback will be signed and one will be taken somewhere in the draft (although my early impression would be that it won't be in the first)
4. Golden Tate's departure probably should have been viewed as a precursor for bigger things to come
5. Theo Riddick, Sam Martin and Eli Harold will probably all be designated cut after June 1st for cap reasons
6. The current roster (healthy) lends for the possibility of a quick turnaround

The drafts during Quinn's tenure have been hit and miss, but with Patricia contributing last off-season they had a decent haul.

Being on point in the 2019 draft and free agent cycle will be huge or else it may trend South quickly for the Lions.

 

Tyrod Taylor?

 

I think the cap hit can be negotiated down to a workable amount but I'm more interested in seeing the potential of an 'arm for arm' kind of trade.

If Miami is really looking to move on from Tannehill and would rather have a vet for Gase, then why not try to cut a deal to send Ryan to Detroit in exchange for Matt on some leaner cash?

The Lions would end up with a quarterback that they could cut ties with in 2019 or 2020 (under his current deal) and look to go after a passer in the draft to groom for the future while the Lions would get what would be considered the top vet on the market if Stafford were to be cut.

 

Joe Flacco fits this scenario, as well.

 

After further thought . . .

I'm not that convinced that the Lions are ready to cut bait with Matt Stafford . . . yet.

 

He's on the books for $20mil in 2019 but they have some money coming off the books to help offset that hit if they want to ride it out with Nick till the end of his contract (Agholor alone is almost half of Nick's money). I think the deal would likely see a team offer up the same as what we saw last off-season with a high second round pick being the max out.

You could possibly see a team like Miami, Denver or Jacksonville look to be active on the phones with Philly early in the process trying to solidify a potential trade so they can lock up Nick. If the Eagles work with him and allow him to negotiate beyond their own house then a deal can be cut that would benefit all parties involved.

The team acquiring him gets the player on a multi-year deal for the price of a pick. The Eagles get something out of the player before they are forced to make a harder decision. Foles gets a commitment from a team that he can have confidence in because they gave up a future asset (assets) to acquire him.

 

I'm not convinced they are either, but it's something interesting to speculate on.

Another one of the reasons that we are getting closer to my favorite time of year.

 

He'll probably have a stronger market than what some people may think, but if the Saints don't sign Bridgewater to a longer deal (and Teddy would probably be wise to stay and sign even if Drew plays 2 more years) then I think his name rises to the top of the list for just about every team.

 

Im not sweeping what wentz did under the rug but can he do it in the post season? We dont know but foles has done it in the post season and has also done it in the regular season. I was on the trade wentz before he suffered another season ending injury right or wrong he now has the injury prone lable as he has been unable to finish the past 2 seasons and going back to his senior year he has missed sginificant time in 3 of his last 4 years. I wonder if Foles gets them into the playoffs and guides them to the nfc championship or farther will more people get on the keep foles trade wentz bandwagon?

 

Matt Patricia says Lions are committed to Matthew Stafford...

Lions head coach Matt Patricia says he sees no changes coming at the quarterback position.

Matthew Stafford is the Lions’ franchise quarterback and will remain the Lions’ franchise quarterback, Patricia said today.

“We’re in a situation where Matt Stafford‘s our quarterback. That’s what it is. I think the world of the guy,” Patricia said.

Stafford has struggled through a bad season, and is poised to finish with his first season with less than 4,000 passing yards of any full season of his career. That has raised many questions about whether Stafford really ought to be the quarterback going forward.

But realistically, there’s no way out of the enormous contract the Lions gave Stafford a year and a half ago. The Lions are stuck with Stafford in 2019. Patricia says he embraces that. (PFT)

 

Yeah, Foles got it done in the post-season last year...but I'd be hard-pressed to believe Wentz wouldn't have at least gotten the Eagles to the Super Bowl. Eagles D held Atlanta to 10 points and Minny to 7. Would he have been able to outpace Brady in the Supe? That we'll never know.

I'd say 20-25% of fans in Philly (i.e., those who call the talk radio stations) are already on board with keeping Foles and dealing Wentz. That number will only go up if they make the playoffs, regardless of whether they advance.

 

But, he can opt out by paying back $2M. I would think a team would rather keep their 2nd and give extra money to Foles for opting out.

 

If he sits tight he forces Philly to make a decision to either pay him the $20mil to be the back-up, cut him and get nothing in return, or allow him to negotiate a long term contract with a team that would have an interest in doing so (proven by giving up draft assets to acquire Foles rights) after picking up his option for 2019 (which they could do and still only incur a $600k hit if the trade/cut him post June 1, $1.8mil prior).

Paying out the $2mil to hit the market relinquishes some leverage (i'm not sure on if he needs to do this by a certain date) if the Eagles decide to pick up his option and makes it so that his return to Philly would be a long shot if he can't find a solid deal/fit on the market.

If the Eagles don't pick it up then he could always take a pay cut to return to Philly (if he doesn't like his options) but he loses almost all of his leverage and the Eagles get nothing in return if he signs elsewhere.

If I'm running the Eagles, I pick up the option and pick up the phone. Worst case I have to cut Nick and lose less than $2mil of cap space or he pays out the $2mil to hit the market. Either way, it's an easy win IMO.

 

1) He doesn't have to opt out until they offer the option up. They don't have to cut him, they have to pick up the option. They have to do it before the 30 days before league year starts, then Foles has 5 days to void it himself. If he doesn't and the Eagles do not cut him it becomes guaranteed on the 5th day of the league year.
2) What would you rather do? GIVE the Eagles draft assets that can potentially hurt your future team, or keep those assets to potentially help your future team, thus YOUR future with the team? The "proof" would be in recovering the $2M paid back to the Eagles from your signing bonus.
3) It's pretty simple math.. if your agent believes he can get you ANYTHING north of $22M in the first year, you opt out and start negotiating as soon as the legal tampering period commences. If it looks like you will be south of that number, you play the game, hoping to maximize your money. A cat and mouse game for a guaranteed $20M is worth it, if your market value is only $15M per year. In today's contracts, I cannot believe, if Foles leads them to the playoffs again, he won't be in the $22-25M per year range. In which case the $2M payback is a moot point.

In what sense? You mentioned earlier that the max point would be a high 2nd round pick

I don't think there is a GM in this league that would not pay $2M to keep their 3rd round pick, let alone a high 2nd rounder.

This is the NFL, a place where Brock Osweiler got a $72M contract with $37M guaranteed over the first two years. I don't think you would argue the Super Bowl MVP and the guy that brought the Eagles back from the depths of going home to possible playoffs the following year after a benching for the original starter, couldn't garner more than that on the open market 3 years later.

I will GUARANTEE you that a team would be willing to pay Foles $22M on a one year prove it contract. For the right team, he should snatch that up in a heart beat. For the "wrong team" he needs to demand $25M per year with $40M in guarantees, that would easily top the one year $20M he would get from the option.

I don't disagree with this, I just think it is a forgone conclusion that Foles opts out. He already knows that the Eagles won't keep him past the 4th day of the league year. That gives them/him 4 days to work a trade with a team with compensation to the Eagles AND a long term contract extension....If it doesn't work out, he loses a ton of money with every QB that signs in those 4 days leading up to his release.

Honestly it's a shit move from the Eagles if they do it. They owe him an opportunity to negotiate as a free agent from day one. He won them a Super Bowl and may get them back to the playoffs when they were looking like dead... Paying back $2M in signing bonus doesn't help their cap, it just punishes a player that did a lot for that organization.