How the Rams-Titans trade effects the Broncos
By Aric Manthey
#3- The Broncos explore other QB options, including Nick Foles. If they’re not able to get a Paxton Lynch/Connor Cook or find middle ground with Colin Kaepernick, there are certainly other options available. With all of the talk about a possible Josh McCown/Brian Hoyer/Mike Glennon acquisition buzzing around the Broncos, today’s trade adds another possible name to that list. Nick Foles.
Foles has had his struggles recently, but it’s easy to forget that only two years ago Nick Foles was a
Pro Bowl QB. With so many people on the Colin Kaepernick bandwagon claiming that he could regain his “2013 form”, the same could certainly be said for Foles (who had a stellar 27/2 TD/INT ratio and led his team to the playoffs in 2013). His upside may not appear to be as sexy as Kaepernick’s, but Foles is a younger QB (only 27) who has shown that he can get it done at a high level in the NFL.
Another reason that makes a possible Foles trade interesting? His salary. After he was traded to the Rams, he was given a 2 year, 24 million dollar extension which for the 2016 season paid him just under 9 million.
To be specific, 6 million of that 2016 salary was a roster bonus that was guaranteed to him shortly after the start of the league year. In other words, the Broncos can get a starting caliber prospect in Foles and only have to pay him around 2-3 million for 2016. Sounds like a guy that fits the mold of the “money ball” approach that Elway and the Broncos have been taking this off-season.
Finally, I believe that the compensation needed to get Foles would be less than Kaepernick. I’m not sure what a good estimate would be for Foles, but if the 49ers would settle for a mid-round pick for Kaepernick, I would think a late round pick would be enough to jar Foles away from the Rams. After today’s trade, it’s clear that they don’t have Foles in their future plans and quite frankly, they should be happy if they get anything for him.
If the Broncos can get Foles for a late round pick, it’s a low risk/high reward proposition. If he stinks, then cut him with little dead money. If he succeeds, we’ll see what happens. Either way, today’s trade presents the Broncos with another solid trade option in the QB market.
Regardless of how things work out, I expect the Broncos take a QB in first few rounds and bring in another veteran to compete. Who the veteran is or where he will come from? Only time will tell on that one. One thing has become clear with today’s blockbuster trade, the path to adding another veteran passer to the Broncos roster just got more interesting.