Next Steps For Nick Foles

Nick Foles’ marvelous turn as the quarterback who won the Philadelphia Eagles’ only Super Bowl could turn into many things – a starting job in Philly (not likely), a starting job elsewhere (more likely, if not immediately) or a weird footnote in history.

Three QBs who started three or fewer games in the regular season won a Super Bowl. Jeff Hostetler was one. He maintained the starting job with the New York Giants in 1991, only to lose it back to Phil Simms. Hostetler went on to play well with the Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders, earning a Pro Bowl Berth. Doug Williams was the other. He started 15 games over the two years following his tremendous performance in Super Bowl XXII and was done.

And let’s not forget Trent Dilfer, who stabilized the Baltimore Ravens’ QB situation in 2000 as they won a Super Bowl. The Ravens didn’t even offer him a contract for the next season. He played six more seasons with three teams, eventually losing the starting job in Seattle to Matt Hasselbeck.

Foles has a year left on his deal with the Eagles and it’s clear he’s comfortable with coach Doug Pederson’s offensive style and bold play calls. That doesn’t make him a good fit everywhere. And with Carson Wentz coming off a late-season knee injury, the Eagles may need Foles to stick around. Wentz was on his way to an MVP-type year before being sidelined and he will no doubt continue to progress, but will he return for training camp? The opener?

The market is hungry for quarterbacks. The Arizona Cardinals, the Buffalo Bills, the Cleveland Browns, the Denver Broncos, the New York Jets are all looking. The Jacksonville Jaguars might be as well. The Eagles could be beneficent and send Foles where he wants to go – assuming he wants to go and there is demand.

With a lot of quarterbacks in play in free agency – all three from the Minnesota Vikings and Washington’s Kirk Cousins – the offseason will provide the opportunity for some fascinating moves. There’s just no telling if Foles will be part of one.

“I’m not really worried about my future right now,” Foles said Monday. “I’m grateful to be a part of the Philadelphia Eagles. I said when I signed with the Eagles: I’m grateful and content in this moment. Well, I’m staying in the moment. I’m not worried about my future right now.”

 
 
Post By: Larry Weisman, a longtime sportswriter for USA TODAY, blogs for Twistity.com. Follow him on Twitter @MrLarryWeisman