The Philadelphia Eagles will release backup quarterback Nick Foles in the off-season. This will be the second-time that Foles has been released by a team in his career.
The Eagles will be making the cost-cutting move in an attempt to save on his contract and save space for their free agency run. Foles is due to make $7.6 million next season, which would be more than the $7.2 million that starter Carson Wentz is slated to make.
By releasing Foles, the Eagles would save just $2.2 million. Yet, they would have $5.4 million in dead cap space, according to Spotrac.com.
Two-year deal signed with Eagles
The 28-year-old signed a two-year deal with the Eagles in march 2017, according to ESPN. With the success of Wentz, the second-year star, Foles has seen very little action since signing his new deal.
The Eagles will look at the backup quarterback options in free agency and will attempt to find a cheaper option instead of Foles. The former Arizona Wildcat has just one completion for 35-yards this season against the Denver Broncos in Week 9.
Foles barely played last season
Foles also barely played last season after signing a one-year deal with the Kansas City Chiefs, reuniting with his former Eagles head coach Andy Reid. He sat the bench behind start Alex Smith.
He made three appearances, including one start, where he went 36 of 55 for 410 yards and three touchdowns.
Foles, who was acquired by the St. Louis Rams in a package deal, which included draft picks for Sam Bradford, was last a regular starter in the NFL in 2015. He made 11 starts that season and went 190 of 337 for 2,052 yards and seven touchdowns. He also had 10 interceptions.
The Eagles traded Bradford to the Minnesota Vikings after an injury to Teddy Bridgewater to make Wentz the starter.
The first three seasons of his NFL career, Foles was the Eagles starter. He made 24 of 28 starts for the team from 2012 through 2014.
With the Eagles having less than $10 million in salary cap for next season, Howie Roseman, the team's EVP of Football Operations, will have to do a lot of work to get some extra cap space. Releasing Foles will help with that.
Roseman would also likely have to restructure the contracts of Lane Johnson, Vinny Curry, and Brandon Graham. Besides releasing Foles, the team may also cut ties with Torrey Smith, who also signed a free agent deal with the Eagles in the off-season and longest-tenured Eagle in Brent Celek.
Smith, 28, has two more years left on the three-year deal that he signed with the Eagles in March 2017. Yet, they have a potential out with a $0 dead cap space hit following this season.
Celek, 32, has one more left on his current contract. Yet, the Eagles could get out of his contract after this season with just a $1 million buyout.
The Eagles already have a replacement in Celek with Zack Ertz.