For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction…Newton's 3rd Law of Motion, or sumlin like that. The Eagles sign Dennis Dixon, and now Big Red wants to move Shaggy Foles to his Chiefs.
The Kansas City Chiefs and new head coach Reid are reportedly interested in acquiring Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foles this offseason, but CSNPhilly.com is reporting that the Eagles aren't likely to trade Foles unless they're "blown away by an offer."
That's a reasonable bargaining position to take right now by the Eagles. If Reid or anyone else really wants Foles, the asking price just went up.
Foles has suddenly become a nice insurance policy at QB for the Eagles, not to mention a bargaining "chip" for an extra draft pick or two—which could be used to select another rookie quarterback for future development.
Foles is currently one of four quarterbacks on the Eagles roster, joining Michael Vick, Trent Edwards, and Dennis Dixon, who signed to a two-year deal with the Eagles on Thursday. After Vick restructured his contract with the Eagles on Monday, new Eagles head coach Chip Kelly said Vick and Foles would compete for the starting job. But that was before the team signed Dixon, whom Kelly coached at the University of Oregon.
The Eagles' intention to keep Foles would fall in line with Kelly's comments, but the team could also be attempting to maximize his trade value.
USA Today's Mike Garafolo reported Thursday that Reid would be interested in reuniting with Foles in Kansas City. Reid, who was fired as the Eagles' head last month and subsequently hired by the Chiefs, selected Foles in the third round of the draft last April. Foles replaced Michael Vick as the team's starter in November after Vick suffered a concussion. He remained the starter until suffering a broken bone in his throwing hand in Week 16 in his sixth start.
Foles played in seven games for the Eagles as a rookie, completing almost 61 percent of his passes, throwing five interceptions in 265 attempts and finishing with a 79.1 passer rating.
Dennis Dixon, who played for Eagles coach Chip Kelly at the University of Oregon, was signed by the Eagles on Thursday. He comes with outstanding college credentials but very limited pro experience. Here's a look at his career statistics.
• Oregon (2004-07): 444-for-695, 5,129 yards, 38 TDs, 21 interceptions; 258 rushes, 1,208 yards, 12 TDs.
• Pittsburgh Steelers (2008-11): 39-for-55, 402 yards, 1 TD, two interceptions; 10 rushes, 56 yards, 1 TD.
Kelly is planning a minicamp in April before the draft, which is allowed by the NFL for first-year coaches only. The quarterback picture for the Eagles should begin to emerge in a clear focus by then.
The interesting thing about Foles is you could logically make an argument that he has more pro experience than Dixon at the same point in their careers—therefore he has greater upside and enhanced trade value. And Foles is obviously a good fit for the Chiefs' offensive system, which relies on a power running game and now seeks to add Reid's vision of a big-play passing attack.
Not to minimize the abilities of QB's like Matt Cassel or Brady Quinn— I mean, after all, you have to be pretty good just to hold a roster spot in the NFL— but as much as I dogged Shaggy's in-game decisions and wobbly long ball at times, he's better than Cassel or Quinn. At least he has a much bigger upside than either. I think Andy Reid feels the same way.
Cassel was supposed to be the Tom Brady of the Midwest when G.M. Scott Pioli, the former Patriots personnel guru, acquired Cassel from his old team in a trade during the spring of 2009. Except for the 2010 season, when he passed for 27 touchdowns and only seven interceptions, Cassel largely has been a disappointment. So has Quinn, who has played for three teams in five seasons and looks like he'll never be better than a journeyman.
The Chiefs do not want to spend a 1st-round pick on a quarterback, as there are no eye-opening phenoms to select from this year's Draft class. But they need a new starting QB they can build upon now. It all adds up to a great opportunity for Foles in Kansas City, as the systemic deck may be stacked against him right now in Philly.
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