INDIANAPOLIS — The Eagles said goodbye to quarterback Nick Foles on Wednesday when top personnel executive Howie Roseman said the team would not be placing the franchise tag on him.
"It's hard when you have someone who's incredible valuable to your organization at the most important position in sports," Roseman said. "We've had incredible success with him when he's had to play. Four playoff wins in the last two years. Great teammate. Huge resource for Carson, and Nate Sudfeld as well. But at the same time, he deserves the opportunity to lead a team. It's a goal of his to lead another team, lead another locker room. We feel at this point it's the right decision."
Goodbye might not mean the Eagles have seen the last of Foles, however.
According to Tony Pauline of DraftAnalyst.com, the Giants could very well be a landing spot for Foles in free agency.
I had been hearing for weeks the NY Giants are very interested in Nick Foles and it was a matter as to whether or not he was going to receive the franchise tag.
— Tony Pauline (@TonyPauline) February 27, 2019What the Giants' plan is at quarterback is not completely clear as of now. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, head coach Pat Shurmur seemed to pretty strongly commit to Eli Manning for 2019.
"Eli can help us win games…When the players around him started playing better, that he can play at a very high and help us win games," Shurmur said. "At this point I want Eli back. He is back."
Just a few hours later? Giants general manager Dave Gettleman left the door wide open for a quarterback change.
"I can't say anything like that. I can't do it. You don't know what's gonna happen," Dave Gettleman said. "You don't know … We're evaluating everything. We've just got to keep moving forward."
Will Foles be part of their evaluation?
It is easy to connect the dots that finish with Foles in a Giants uniform. The Giants have a talented set of skill position players, they are in the division and they are right up the road from Philadelphia, allowing Foles to stay close to the area he has called home the lasts two years. Shurmur's history with Foles from their time in Philadelphia could also play a role in Foles ending up with the Giants.
Whether the Giants end up showing interest in Foles remains to be seen, but one thing is clear.
After announcing they won't be stopping Foles from hitting the free agency market, the Eagles are now powerless to stop their division rival to acquire a player that, but Roseman's definition, is a top 15 quarterback.
Something that could end up haunting this organization for years to come.
You can follow Eliot Shorr-Parks on Twitter at @EliotShorrParks or email him at esp@94wip.com!
