Nick Foles has found a new home in Jacksonville. The former Super Bowl MVP will look to prove his worth with a team that took a step back during the 2018 season. Jacksonville looked to be on the verge of playing in the Super Bowl only a little over a year ago, but Blake Bortles was simply not up to the task last year. Jacksonville knew that their chance to make another playoff run rested on acquiring a franchise quarterback, and will now put their faith in Nick Foles.
Jacksonville was the only likely destination for Foles. Very few NFL teams are presently in need of a high priced veteran quarterback. Struggling teams like the Arizona Cardinals and the New York Jest are more than just a quarterback away from challenging for a playoff spot. As such, it would be difficult to justify spending such an exorbitant amount of money, especially guaranteed, on a quarterback that is looking to win now.
In terms of statistics, only the Bears, Texans, and Titans gave up fewer points to the opposition that Jacksonville, and yet the Jaguars finished with a 5-11 record. The problem then can be pinpointed to the lack of offensive scoring. Jacksonville only totaled 245 points last season, which ranks them 31st in the league. While this stat does not highlight all of the offensive struggles for the Jaguars, it does represent poor quarterback play. Blake Bortles ended the season with only 13 touchdowns, his lowest since coming into the league in 2014. Yes Jacksonville sorely missed the rushing threat of Leonard Fournette, who missed half of the 16 games, but T.J. Yeldon managed to perform well in his stead.
Nick Foles had a 72.3% completion rating during the 2018 season. He has the skill set to play multiple roles for the Jaguars. Foles is able to be a “game manager” who can protect the ball with smart plays, but he can also create big moments that can change the course of a game. However, Jacksonville will need to add a couple more pieces to help Foles succeed. Most notable would be a tight end, which is a position that Foles utilized often with Zach Ertz in Philadelphia.
The Jacksonville Jaguars are paying for playoff pedigree and late game experience, which is something they did not have with Blake Bortles. Foles has led the Philadelphia Eagles to two successive playoff runs and managed to take down the New England Patriots in the 2017 Super Bowl. He knows how to win games when it matters, and that quality is tough to overvalue in the NFL.
*Contract Details were first reported by NFL Network
* NFL Statistics were taken from NFL.com
CRC Blog: Sports and Technology 