Ryan Pace and the Chicago Bears may have liked to trade former Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles this offseason, but a market for the former Super Bowl MVP never developed, and it now appears he'll return to the team for a second season.
NFL Insider Adam Caplan says that while the Bears tried to create interest in Foles this winter - including with his most notable former employer - the 32-year-old is now expected to be back in Chicago.
"...You mentioned Nick Foles. They fully guaranteed his $8 million back in March. He's on the football team, he's not moving," Caplan told Scott Ferrall of SportsGrid. "They tried to trade him to Philly and others teams - nobody wanted him. He's still there, he'll back up [Andy] Dalton this season."
After trading Carson Wentz to the Indianapolis Colts, the Eagles appear likely to give second-year quarterback Jalen Hurts a chance to start for all of 2021. A player like Foles - who could play if need be, but is also fine with being a mentor - seemingly was a need for the Eagles. But Foles has a statue at Lincoln Financial Field, and even if he was comfortable in his role, his presence may have become a distraction if Hurts struggled for any portion of 2021. So instead, the Eagles signed another former Super Bowl MVP - Joe Flacco - to a one-year deal to back Hurts up.
The other problem that likely stunted Foles' market is that he carries a $6.6 million cap hit in 2021, as opposed to a $1.56 million one for Flacco. Even if the Eagles hadn't been interested in bringing Foles back for a third stint, some team probably would have been intrigued by him as a backup at a lower price. Instead, Foles will head back to Chicago.
Exactly what Foles' role will be in Chicago isn't clear.
The Bears gave Andy Dalton a one-year/$10 million deal after the long-time Cincinnati Bengal spent the 2020 season with the Dallas Cowboys. It appears that Dalton will start for the team in Week 1, and perhaps beyond.
That said, the Bears are fresh off of trading up nine picks for former Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields. Fields may be raw as a passer, which could lead to him being inactive early in 2021. However, given how much pressure is on Pace and head coach Matt Nagy, it's hard to think that we won't see Fields at any point during his rookie season.
Could that create a scenario where Foles isn't active on some Sundays in 2021? It might.
LISTEN on the Audacy App
Sign Up and Follow Audacy Sports
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram