Nick Foles to sign with Jaguars, per reports

The Jacksonville Jaguars will agree to terms to sign free agent quarterback Nick Foles when NFL free agency opens on Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. The Jaguars had been the leaders in the clubhouse for Foles for most of this offseason and some would say really the only one in the clubhouse for the former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback and Super Bowl MVP.

As expected, the Jaguars will be bringing in the veteran quarterback to replace Blake Bortles. I’d anticipate the Jaguars release Bortles shortly after the Foles deal becomes official, as the team prepares to move forward with the former Eagles quarterback at the helm with his former quarterbacks coach and now current Jaguars offensive coordinator John DeFilippo.

Foles was originally a third round pick of the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2012 NFL Draft. He started a handful of games as a rookie and looked as you’d expect a third round rookie quarterback to look like. In his next season he came in as the backup and had an incredible season with Chip Kelly, making the Pro Bowl throwing 27 touchdowns with only two interceptions an 8-2 record as a starter. Foles entered the 2014 season as the starter, but despite going 6-2 he had a rough start to the season with 13 touchdowns and 10 interceptions before ending the season with a broken collerbone and on injured reserve.

Foles was traded to the then St. Louis Rams and was absolutely dreadful in his 11 starts, picking up a 4-7 record and throwing more interceptions than touchdowns. In fairness, this was when Jeff Fisher was the head coach of the Rams and he’d been a quarterback killer for a few seasons by then and Foles was the next victim. After a backup stint with the Kansas City Chiefs, Foles followed newly hired head coach Doug Pederson back to the Philadelphia Eagles to backup Carson Wentz. Foles came in at the end of the season when Wentz got hurt and helped pilot the team to a 2-1 finish and then exploded in the playoffs ultimately to a Super Bowl victory and earning the MVP of the game.

Last season Foles came in again for an injured Carson Wentz to start the season and it appeared the magic might have been gone, limping to a 1-1 start. Wentz went down again late in the year and Foles gave the Eagles season a spark winning the last three games to send the team to the playoffs. The Foles magic looked back in the Wild Card round as the Eagles drove down late to score and had a nice double-doink field goal miss to hold on. The next week against the Saints however, it was tough sledding and the Eagles got bounced.

The Jaguars are signing Foles to lead the way since they still feel they have a good team that can make the playoffs and the 2018 season was just a result of Blake Bortles turning back into Blake Bortles and the team being ravaged by injuries. The hope will be that Foles is that calming force who is going to keep you in games and even drive down the field late and win a few for you.