Chicago Bears quarterback Nick Foles is just a few years removed from winning Super Bowl MVP and later signing a lucrative $88 million contract. With the NFL season fast approaching, he could be in jeopardy of not making an NFL roster.
The Bears acquired Foles from the Jacksonville Jaguars in March 2020 in exchange for a 2020 fourth-round pick. There was confidence that the veteran quarterback would provide stability in Chicago, potentially even helping the team reach the NFL playoffs.
Foles replaced Mitch Trubisky in Week 3, sparking an incredible comeback and delivering a last-minute victory over the Atlanta Falcons. It proved to be one of his lone bright spots in 2021 and his poor play led to Chicago drafting Justin Fields and signing Andy Dalton.
- Nick Foles stats (Week 4-10): 1,664 passing yards, 7:7 TD:INT ratio, 65.9% completion rate, 5.9 ypa and 79.6 passer rating
Previewing the Bears’ upcoming training camp, ESPN’s Jeff Dickerson wrote that Foles is in danger of not making the team’s 53-man roster when Week 1 kicks off in September.
“From an experience and ability standpoint, Foles is worthy of a spot on Chicago’s 53-man roster. Throughout the offseason, the Bears spoke and acted as if they expected Foles to be on the team. Still, the possibility exists that Foles could play elsewhere in 2021. The Bears are unlikely to simply release Foles, but the veteran is logical trade bait if another team suffered an injury at quarterback in the preseason. Foles is, after all, the Bears’ No. 3 quarterback behind Andy Dalton and Justin Fields, so it’s fair to label him as expendable. “
The Bears explored a Foles trade several times this offseason but there was minimal interest. When he refused to return to the Philadelphia Eagles, his former team backed out on a deal and Chicago realized it was stuck with the veteran quarterback.
If he became a free agent, there would certainly be interested clubs. While he’s no longer a starting-caliber passer, teams could do so much worse for their backup quarterback. If an injury strikes, Foles still has enough skills and veteran experience to provide stability for a few games.
The problem, especially for Chicago, is the contract. Foles carries a $6.66 million cap hit for the 2021 season, a figure the Bears can’t afford to pay a third-string quarterback. Cutting him would also leave the franchise with a $7.6 million cap charge.
Chicago will certainly keep him on the roster through training camp, waiting to see if an injury makes another team get desperate. But when it’s time to finalize that 53-man roster, don’t be surprised if Foles is one of the biggest names released on cut day.
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