Nick Foles was set to be the future of the Philadelphia Eagles at quarterback. His only responsibility now is to protect the future of the franchise by taking his place before he can get hurt in lopsided games. The backup quarterback received a rare chance to get into the game on Sunday, with his team in the process of blowing out the San Francisco 49ers. It marked his first appearance for a team he seemed destined to take over in several years, showing just how far he's stumbled.
Eagles turn to Foles
With less than five and a half minutes to go and a sizable lead, coach Doug Pederson decided he had seen enough of Carson Wentz on the field.
Cameras saw Foles warming up on the sideline, a rare sight in the first place. Then, the coach decided to pull the trigger and get his quarterback into the game. With Eagles fans in a slightly sassy mood, they decided to give their backup a rocking standing ovation as he entered the game.
Unfortunately, he didn't receive the opportunity to do very much, with the game already well in hand. Foles lost a couple of yards on the ground - a direct result of him kneeling out the remainder of the game - and didn't attempt a single pass. He didn't need to, as the Eagles dominated the 49ers 33-10 to continue their NFL-best start to the season, improving to 7-1 for the first time since their Super Bowl appearance in 2004.
Foles for the future
Foles burst upon the scene in 2013, passing for 27 touchdowns and just two interceptions on his way to a Pro Bowl season. Things didn't go as well the following season, however, leading to the Eagles trading him to the St. Louis Rams. Last season, he wound up as a backup to Alex Smith with the Kansas City Chiefs before returning to Philadelphia on a two-year deal last spring with the intention to back up Wentz.
There's a chance that his days in Philadelphia could be numbered once again, though, as his name has become trade fodder. There are several NFL teams dealing with injuries that could use a quarterback for the rest of the season, from the Arizona Cardinals to the Green Bay Packers. At this point, people know Foles won't be a franchise quarterback.
But he could be an improvement over those teams' current situations.
If the Eagles do decide to deal away Foles - for the second time - Matt McGloin would take over at backup quarterback. Then again, the team hopes they never have to turn away from Wentz again for the next decade, if not longer.
