February 14, 2019
On Wednesday, the moronic Denver Broncos traded what is believed to be a fourth-round pick to the Baltimore Ravens for quarterback Joe Flacco, because, well, um, ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.
With Nick Foles also on the trading block in Philadelphia, the obvious question to ask is, what does the Flacco trade mean for the Eagles and Foles? The short answer? Not much.
Every offseason, the NFL has a number of teams that are sort of flopping around like a fish out of water, looking for quarterback. This offseason, that group of teams includes the Broncos, the Jacksonville Jaguars, the New York Giants, the Washington Redskins, and the Miami Dolphins. You can make arguments for others, but I would say that those five teams are the primary "flopping fish out of water" teams.
With the Broncos trading for Flacco, you can cross them off the Foles suitor list, if they were ever really on it. A year ago, the Broncos could have tried to strike a deal for Foles, but they ended up instead signing Case Keenum on a two-year contract worth $36 million. Keenum was predictably bad in 2018, leaving Denver flopping around once again looking for a QB in 2019. If the Broncos thought that signing Keenum for $18 million per year was a better option than trading for Foles coming off a magical Super Bowl run last offseason, then they sure weren't likely to have increased interest in Foles this offseason.
Reportedly, the Broncos "kicked the tires" on Foles, but ultimately landed on Flacco because they thought he was somehow a better scheme fit.
Broncos did kick tires on Foles, but Flacco was deemed better fit. Why? One, Flacco has played considerably under center. Scanagrello offense will have QB under center plenty. Foles more shotgun-spread QB in Philly. And if Foles gets $25M+, Flacco better value at $18.5M. #9sports
— Mike Klis (@MikeKlis) February 13, 2019
That is such a stupid strategy in this modern age of football that I can't even wrap my head around it. Choosing a quarterback based on his history of playing under center is going to drastically limit the pool from which the Broncos can choose, and is an awful reason to trade for Flacco over Foles. Anyway, Denver was never likely to be a serious suitor.
From the Eagles' perspective, what does the Flacco trade do for the Foles trade market? Again, not much, if anything. Personally, I thought this was a bad take:
Eagles just cursed. Sets trade market price. #Foles https://t.co/t8069g1YGU
— Andrew Brandt (@AndrewBrandt) February 13, 2019
I really couldn't disagree more. The Eagles can only view the Flacco trade as a positive. It sets a trade market price of a fourth-round round pick for a bad quarterback. It's not like Flacco and Foles are equals at this point in their careers. Foles is unquestionably the more appealing quarterback, and it isn't even close.
But beyond that, the market for Foles just is what it is, and shouldn't be affected by other trades around the league. If Foles walks in free agency, the Eagles will almost certainly get a 2020 third-round compensatory pick in return. If the Eagles don't get at least the equivalent of a third-round pick in the 2019 draft for Foles, then they won't make a deal, knowing they have that comp pick looming on the horizon. If a team offers a 2019 third-round pick, the Eagles will almost surely take it.
That's Foles' market. The Flacco trade is meaningless in terms of the compensation the Eagles should expect to receive, barring some kind of highly unlikely bidding war for Foles.
The only loser from the Flacco trade (the Broncos aside), is Foles, as the Broncos represent one fewer team that might have been interested in him in free agency if he eventually has the opportunity to test the market free and clear. That's about it.
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