Nick Foles Rumors: Eagles Expected to Pick Up Option, Franchise-Tag and Trade QB

The Philadelphia Eagles are expected to exercise quarterback Nick Foles' $20 million option for the 2019 season, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

As Rapoport notes, though, Foles has the ability to buy his right to free agency by paying Philadelphia $2 million. 

ESPN's Adam Schefter added that the Eagles would then be expected to franchise-tag Foles and attempt to trade him in order to receive compensation. Per Schefter, the expected asking price for the signal-caller will be in the range of a third-round pick.

Foles and the Eagles agreed to a restructured contract last April after the backup quarterback led the franchise to its first Super Bowl championship. The new deal gave the 2018 Super Bowl MVP a $2 million raise for last season and included incentives that could push his salary to $14 million. While he missed out on a $1 million incentive based on playing time, the team opted to award him the money anyway.

Now, the two sides face a crossroads.

Foles has provided Philadelphia with a valuable backup option behind Carson Wentz. The veteran started the first two games of the 2018 season as Wentz continued to work his way back from a torn ACL, and he later started the team's final five contests (including playoffs) of the season with Wentz nursing a back injury.

Foles went 5-2 (1-1 in the postseason) as a starter this past season, winning the final three games of the regular season to help the Eagles return to the playoffs. During five regular-season appearances, he completed 72.3 percent of his passes for 1,413 yards, seven touchdowns and four interceptions.

He provided Philadelphia with another dose of "Foles Magic" as he pulled off a road victory against the Chicago Bears in the NFC Wild Card Round before ultimately falling just short of a last-minute comeback against the New Orleans Saints in the divisional round.

Foles made it clear following last year's playoff run that he wanted to be a starter, and he echoed similar sentiments last month, per Martin Frank of the Delaware News Journal. At 30 years old, this figures to be one of Foles' few remaining opportunities to become a full-time starter in the NFL.