Jags Trade QB Nick Foles to the Bears For a 4th Rounder

Nick Foles with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2019
Nick Foles with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2019. Photo by Mike Buscher/Cal Sport Media/CSM/Shutterstock (10357907a)

Jacksonville Jaguars are moving on from quarterback Nick Foles just one year after giving him the biggest guaranteed contract in franchise history. ESPN reports that Jags agreed to trade Foles to Chicago Bears in exchange for a fourth-round pick in 2020 NFL Draft.

From Jacksonville’s standpoint, the trade probably ensures that the second-year QB Gardner Minshew will now be installed as a full-time starter after posting a 4-4 record in 2019. There is also a possibility for Jags to move up in the draft and select a quarterback as the Bears’ fourth-rounder now gives them 12 picks in 2020.

Chicago, on the other side, fulfills the goal to bring in a veteran competition for their young QB Mitchell Trubisky. The former No.2 overall pick struggled to make an impact last season despite a talented Bears’ roster, and the team wanted to make sure they have another option if Trubisky doesn’t make progress. Foles, who led the Philadelphia Eagles to Super Bowl in 2017, gives them just that.

As part of the trade, Foles reportedly also agreed to restructure his contract. While the new terms won’t affect his salary, he now has an option to void the year 2021 or 2022, depending on how things work out.

This wasn’t an unexpected move, as it is believed that Jaguars were shopping Nick Foles for some time now. Jacksonville signed the 31-year-old signal-caller to a massive four-year, $88 million contract in 2018 with the intention of making him their franchise QB. Things didn’t pan out the way the organization envisioned, as Foles got hurt in the season opener and missed significant time with Minshew stepping in. He returned in week 11, but poor performances got him benched and eventually panned his way out of Jacksonville.

Over the course of his time with the Jags, Foles played four games and threw for 736 yards, three Ts, and two interceptions.