Jacksonville Jaguars: Is Nick Foles signing merely by default?

Nick Foles is expected to sign with the Jacksonville Jaguars next week, but is this the free agent quarterback’s only option?

When the new NFL year begins on March 13, it will be with a bang. Free agency will commence with fans clamoring about the new faces coming to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Evidently, quarterback Nick Foles will sign with Jacksonville.

It’s no secret that Jaguars fans have called for a new starting quarterback. Blake Bortles‘ struggles have been highly documented by media and other interested participants. Is Foles the right guy to lead the Jaguars offense, though?

The Jaguars and head coach Doug Marrone hired John DeFilippo as the offensive coordinator in January. DeFilippo’s hire suggested that Jacksonville had eyes on Foles. He coached Foles in Philadelphia during their Super Bowl run.

However, Marrone was quick to deny hiring DeFilippo was an attempt to lure Foles to the Jaguars. Phillip Heilman of Jacksonville.com reports the following:

"Marrone said DeFilippo’s experience with Foles had “zero” impact on him being hired, but it should be remembered over the next few months. The Jaguars need to release several veterans to create space under the salary cap, but any player, particularly a quarterback, can be had if coveted badly enough."

The days leading up to March 13 should be interesting. How are the Jaguars going to pay for Foles? There will have to be some serious trimming of the salary cap to make it happen. Some may wonder how much it will take to sign Foles. Will there be a bidding war for his services? Who else is interested from among the quarterback needy teams?

Les Bowen of Philly.com might provide the answer. In his report of Foles heading to the Jaguars, he insinuated a rather curious situation regarding the demand for Foles:

"A market for Nick Foles outside of Jacksonville has not developed, and though nothing is certain until it is official, the Jaguars absolutely expect to sign Foles, sources said. They have been working on the structure of a contract,…"

So, no market for Foles has emerged? Only the Jaguars want him? Is that a good thing or a bad thing for Jacksonville? Foles is a Super Bowl winning quarterback for crying out loud.

In his career, Foles has started 44 games with three different teams. He has completed 974 of 1,581 passes for 11,165 yards with 68 touchdowns and 33 interceptions. Most of all, he has more game winning drives and fourth quarter comebacks than Bortles.

If Jacksonville signs Foles by default, they will have a guy who thrived on the biggest stage in the game. Remember, Foles was the backup that led Philadelphia to the NFL Championship. Hopefully, the Foles era begins next week.