When the clock hit zero in New Orleans, and the Eagles’ 2018 season came to an end, so did the hypothetical questions that have surrounded their quarterback position.
We no longer have to debate what would happen if Nick Foles won another Super Bowl. That didn’t happen (at least this year). We don’t have to debate if a win over the Saints would tip the scale in Foles’ favor. That didn’t happen either.
What we do know now, without question, is that it is time for the Eagles to make some seriously hard decisions at quarterback — something not many teams that believe they have a franchise quarterback usually have to do.
Here is a look at everything the Eagles have to decide at quarterback this season, and the dynamics involved in each decision.
Who is their quarterback, Carson Wentz or Foles?
At the end of the day, this is really the question the Eagles have to decide — assuming they haven’t already. Chances are that inside of the NovaCare Complex there isn’t much of a debate. The Eagles will move forward with Wentz as their starter and Foles will move on. That is certainly how Foles was acting on Sunday after the loss, accidentally talking about his time in Philadelphia in the past tense a few times. Make no mistake about it — Foles has made a strong case to be the guy going forward. Whether it has been enough to even make the Eagles have a discussion about keeping Foles and moving on from Wentz remains to be seen.
Will they discuss trading Wentz?
This might sound crazy. It probably is. But if the Eagles believe they could win with Foles going forward, and this late season run makes them believe there isn’t a strong difference between the two, there is no denying that Wentz would fetch more in a trade. The Eagles don’t have to call around to know that. If the Eagles actually decide to commit to Foles, which is unlikely, they could net multiple first-round picks for Wentz. It is at the very least an interesting discussion for the front office to have internally.
Will they extend Wentz?
When Wentz was steamrolling his way to league MVP during the 2017 season, there was no question they were going to extend him this offseason, likely to the tune of a record-setting deal that cemented his place as the franchise quarterback. Since then, however, Foles won Super Bowl MVP, carried the team to the playoffs this season, and Wentz suffered two major injuries that ended his season prematurely. Now, the Eagles have a decision to make. Do they lock Wentz up to a long-term deal, or do they make him wait another season? The answer to that questions is far more complicated than it used to be.
Do they want Foles back as a backup?
This answer isn’t as simple as you might think. Foles made it clear on Sunday that he wants to start, but he has also shown in the past he values certain things — like where he family wants to be, the structure of an organization, etc — over playing. If Foles looks at his options this offseason, and decides he would rather be in Philadelphia, the Eagles have to seriously ask themselves if they want Foles back. Even if Wentz is their quarterback going forward, there is an extremely large portion of this fanbase that wants Foles to start. If they bring back Foles, Wentz will know the Super Bowl MVP is looking over his shoulder the entire time. Each incomplete pass, each loss — the calls for Foles will be there. Even if Foles were to take a team-friendly deal that fit under the cap, it is fair to wonder if they really do want another year of Foles on the roster as they try to grow Wentz into the franchise quarterback.
Do they try to trade Foles?
The Eagles do have the option of trading Foles, but it is going to be tricky and expensive. Foles and the Eagles have a mutual option, one that if both sides exercise, would put Foles on the books for $20 million in 2019. If Foles doesn’t agree to the option, the Eagles could franchise tag him, which would cost around $25 million. That is a significant chunk of change for a backup, especially when the Eagles are already $12 million over the cap. The Eagles can’t trade Foles until the first day of the new league year on March 13. That means even if they have a backdoor-deal agreed to with a team, they have to have Foles on the books until March 13, which would impact their salary cap situation drastically. The Eagles would have to feel pretty confident they are getting a big return for Foles — like a pick in the top two rounds — to hold onto him and trade him once the new league year begins.
Is Sudfeld the backup next year?
This isn’t a question that will be in the headlines, but it is an important one. If Wentz is indeed the quarterback of the future, then the Eagles need to make sure they have a good backup, because Wentz has ended the last two seasons on the bench due to injury. Third-string quarterback Nate Sudfeld has plenty of potential, but he has never started in or played an extended amount of time in a meaningful NFL game. Adding a veteran backup to the roster could be something the Eagles explore.
You can reach Eliot Shorr-Parks on Twitter at @EliotShorrParks or email him at esp@94wip.com!