PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – Philadelphia and Buffalo are not strangers when it comes to making trades. It is not too far fetched to believe that the Eagles would trade Nick Foles to the Buffalo Bills if the price were right.
Yes, Foles just won the Super Bowl for the Philadelphia Eagles. However, the Super Bowl MVP’s value will never be any higher than it is right now. The 29-year old quarterback was sensational in the playoffs for the Eagles. In those three games including the Super Bowl, Foles went 77-106 (72.6%), for 971 yards, 6 touchdowns and one interception that was not his fault.
Foles was the backup for Carson Wentz and I’m sure Howie Roseman will be listening to offers. It helps that he is very cheap. This brings us to Buffalo who already has LeSean McCoy and at the moment Jordan Matthews. Tyrod Taylor is out of the picture for this scenario. Who becomes the new franchise quarterback for the Bills?
It certainly would be interesting to see if Buffalo made a play for Foles, who knows McCoy all too well. Confidence is everything for Foles, who shined once a few passes went his way. Imagine the RPO approach that new offensive coordinator Brian Daboll could utilize with the combination of Foles, McCoy, and Matthews (if he resigns). Sean McDermott’s defense could benefit from an RPO approach that keeps the opposing offense on the sideline. The idea of McCoy running remains the same, but in a different approach. This also opens up the field for guys like Zay Jones, who could be an impact player.
Buffalo’s Offensive Rankings Last Season:
- 18.9 points (22nd)
- 302.6 yards (29th)
- 176.6 passing yards (31st)
- 126.1 rushing yards (6th)
What would be the appropriate offer for Foles? I don’t believe the rumors that say that Philadelphia would be seeking a pair of first AND second round draft choices. That is way too much of a haul for a 29-year old quarterback, even if he won the Super Bowl.
Possible Scenarios:
- Foles & No. 32 selection to Buffalo for Kansas City’s pick (22) and Philadelphia’s third round pick.
- Foles to Buffalo for LA’s second rounder and Philadelphia’s third round pick.
- Foles & New England’s fourth to Buffalo for Buffalo’s second round and LA’s second round pick.
Benefits to No. 1: Buffalo essentially moves back 11 spots in the first round and obtains a quarterback that can replace Taylor. McCoy already knows how Foles’ operates. The Eagles have more flexibility in the first round and receive its third rounder back.
Benefits to No. 2: Buffalo keeps both of its first round selections to help Foles and the offense. The LA and Philadelphia selections were acquired in previous trades. Philadelphia gets a second and third rounder for Foles, which is huge since they don’t have any at the moment.
Benefits to No. 3: Buffalo desires another selection to go along with Foles in the draft. The fourth rounder is thrown in, but Philadelphia wants better compensation. That leads to the additional second round pick instead of the third. More picks for Philly.
Buffalo’s Draft Picks:
- Round 1: Buffalo (21), Kansas City (22)
- Round 2: Buffalo, Rams
- Round 3: Philadelphia
- Round 4: Buffalo
- Round 5: Buffalo, Jacksonville
- Round 6/7: None
Philadelphia’s Draft Picks:
- Round 1: Philadelphia
- Round 2: None
- Round 3: None
- Round 4: Philadelphia, New England
- Round 5: Philadelphia, Seattle
- Round 6: Philadelphia
- Round 7: None
Drafting a QB
Buffalo has the ammunition to trade into the Top 10 in order to try and snag a franchise quarterback. There are two problems when it comes to Buffalo drafting a quarterback. Number one is that they may have to get to the sixth selection to take whoever is left. It is likely that Sam Darnold is the top selection to Cleveland, followed by the Giants taking UCLA’s Josh Rosen.
This remains the same, until I hear something else. This leaves the Colts at No. 3, who would take a deal if the price were right. It might take a bundle to jump that high, which I doubt will happen. Keep the picks. The Browns at No. 4 will listen, but Saquon Barkley helps Darnold. That puts Denver at No. 5.
Free agency clearly changes this whole discussion, considering who wins the Kirk Cousins’ sweepstakes. This is huge in that it alters the draft plans for both the Broncos and/or the Jets. Baker Mayfield could easily go to Denver at five, leaving Josh Allen as the last top tier quarterback on the board. Teams could be eyeing up 7-10 in order to land Allen. The compensation for the selection will be steep, but more manageable. Arizona sits at No. 15 with hopes of a new franchise quarterback after the retirement of Carson Palmer.
There are other options as well, but Buffalo made it quite obvious that Taylor will not be welcomed back. It is the wrong play if they want to win now in 2018-19. The whole Nathan Peterman experiment did not pan out. That is putting it nicely. Staying at No. 21 and taking a guys such as Mason Rudolph or Lamar Jackson are a risk. Acquiring a veteran might be the best course of action if they eventually move on from Taylor. Adding Foles could be an intriguing move if they believe the playoffs are a realistic goal once again.
Snowball 