ESPN: Nick Foles could be the Cardinals’ bold answer at quarterback

The Arizona Cardinals are looking for stability under center. In relief of Carson Wentz, Nick Foles gave the Philadelphia Eagles that and a Lombardi Trophy.

While a trade between Arizona and Philadelphia would be considered bold, bringing Foles in to start would be a statement from general manager Steve Keim and head coach Steve Wilks that the Cardinals plan to compete.

With the beginning of the NFL year approaching, the Cardinals continue to explore their options at quarterback. Less than a month removed from winning Super Bowl MVP, Foles could be on the move as Wentz will be the starter when he is cleared following a mid-season ACL tear.

Given Foles’ recent success, Football Outsiders suggest that acquiring Foles makes sense.

The Cardinals first need to decide whether they can be contenders in 2018. With David Johnson returning from injury, a returning Larry Fitzgerald, and the fourth-best defense in football, according to DVOA, there’s certainly an argument for a reload rather than a rebuild. For maximum “win-now” potential, finding a quarterback in the draft isn’t optimal; by the time Arizona is on the clock at No. 15, all the top quarterbacks should be long gone … In a league where Joe Flacco, Trevor Siemian and Brian Hoyer were considered viable starters last season, Foles seems like he at least deserves a kick of the tires — as long as Philadelphia’s asking price doesn’t move this from “bold” to “crazy.”​

A journeyman, Foles has played for three teams in as many years and some of his best football has been played as a replacement.

Filling in for Wentz, he went 5-1 (including playoffs) with 11 touchdowns and three interceptions, culminating with a Super Bowl victory. In 2013, Foles replaced an injured Michael Vick and threw for 27 touchdowns and two interceptions in 10 starts with an 8-2 record for the Eagles.

Trading Foles away isn’t out of the question for the Eagles, the Philadelphia Inquirer Les Bowen told 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station’s The Blitz on Thursday afternoon.

“They could have said, ‘We’re not trading Nick.’ They could have said, ‘Well, it’s really unlikely,'” Bowen said. “They said neither.”

Instead, Eagles executive vice president Howie Roseman and head coach Doug Peterson spoke of only owning one pick in the first three rounds this year: No. 32 overall. Considering their draft, and Philly being over cap in 2018, Bowen called it a 50/50 chance Foles gets traded.

The team hopes starting quarterback Carson Wentz is healthy by the first game. Bowen called this unrealistic, pointing out it typically takes a year to recover from an ACL surgery.

It makes sense for the Eagles to keep their quarterback rotation as is until Wentz is ready, but Foles’ contract could make a mid-season trade difficult. With only has one year left, buyers may not be willing to shell out high draft picks if he’s unlikely to commit long-term.

The asking price of Foles is unknown but his recent success has upped his value and makes him an enticing option in Arizona.

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