What Went Into the Jaguars Decision to Trade Nick Foles? Dave Caldwell Explains

Why did the Jaguars decide to move on from Nick Foles just one year into his franchise-record contract?

In March 2019, the Jacksonville Jaguars made one of the largest financial commitments in team history when they gave former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foles a four-year, $88 million contract with over $45 million in guarantees. 

Just one year later, Foles found himself shipped off of the roster and sent to the NFC to compete for the Chicago Bears' starting quarterback position.

So, what happened? 

Foles one year in Jacksonville was a rocky one. It left physical scars on Foles as a result of the clavicle injury he sustained in Week 1 on the team's 12th snap. The former Super Bowl MVP played just two drives in Week 1 before the injury, which occurred during a play in which he threw a 35-yard touchdown to DJ Chark.

For the next eight games, Foles watched from afar as rookie quarterback Gardner Minshew II took the reins of the offense. Minshew Mania was born as the rookie sixth-round pick with the mustached swagger led Jacksonville for a 4-4 record as a starter, but Foles would get another crack at the starting gig.

Foles returned as the Jaguars' starting quarterback in Week 11, his first game eligible to return from injured reserve. His time back on the field was short-lived, however, as the Jaguars were in the midst of a brutal losing streak.

Jacksonville lost each of Foles' first two starts upon his return, and the veteran quarterback was then benched in favor of Minshew by head coach Doug Marrone at halftime of Week 13's loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after committing three turnovers in the first half. Foles didn't play another snap in 2019, and he ended his first year with the Jaguars without playing a single second half snap at TIAA Bank Field. 

As a result, Foles' future with the Jaguars became muddied. The Jaguars publically remained steadfast in their commitment to have Foles compete with Minshew for the starting role in 2020, but the Jaguars answered this question before the players even hit the field. 

This March, the Jaguars traded Foles to the Chicago Bears for a 2020 fourth-round selection. Almost exactly a year after inking roles to a massive deal, the Jaguars had traded Foles away and given Minshew the keys to the offense. 

What went into the decision to move Foles after the Jaguars had not only paid him, but appeared to be willing to keep him on the roster? General manager Dave Caldwell explained the thinking behind the move this week in an interview with Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio on the PFT PM podcast. 

Contrary to the belief of many, Caldwell said the Jaguars were not even actively shopping Foles; things just worked out that way for all parties involved. 

“I think with Nick’s situation is we weren’t looking to move him,” Caldwell explained. 

“We were looking to keep him, and then there was a handful of teams that had interest in him and we just felt that if there was value, and if we were going to start and we thought enough of Gardner to name him the starter or at least to compete with Nick to be a starter, and then if we could get a good-value draft pick, which we did out of Chicago, and get out from underneath the contract, we just felt like it was the best thing to do for the team.” 

As a result of the massive Foles trade, the Jaguars took on a major dead cap hit of $18.75 million. But they also escaped from any financial commitments to Foles past 2020, and paved the way for Minshew to lead the offense this season. 

“Right now, if we rolled that ball out there, he’d be the first guy behind the center," head coach Doug Marrone said about Minshew at the conclusion of last month's NFL Draft.

Foles was the lone veteran quarterback on the team's roster, so by trading him to the Bears, the Jaguars took a big risk. The three quarterbacks currently on the team consist of Minshew, rookie sixth-rounder Jake Luton, and fourth-year backup Josh Dobbs. Of these three, only Minshew has started an NFL game. 

But the Jaguars were willing to move forward with that risk because of their belief in Minshew, and their belief that getting a fourth-round pick for Foles and his massive contract was a win-win situation. Will that risk pay off? Only time will tell. But for now, the Jaguars are Minshew's team, and Foles will be looking to turn his career around in Chicago.

To listen to Caldwell's complete interview with Florio, click here.