- Quarterback Andrew Luck‘s record-setting contract won’t have an adverse effect on the Colts’ salary cap, argues Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star. Among Holder’s reasons: The cap, which has gone up $22MM since 2014, is likely to continue rising; as evidenced by the deals given to Luck, left tackle Anthony Castonzo, No. 1 receiver T.Y. Hilton and tight end Dwayne Allen since last summer, the Colts are now emphasizing drafting, developing and keeping their own instead of relying on free agency; and Luck helped the Colts by agreeing to a team-friendly pact that will pay him just over $23MM per year, not the $25MM annual amount many predicted.
Though there are items to nitpick in Andrew Luck‘s new contract with the Colts, the former No. 1 overall pick comes out ahead when it comes to cash flows, writes Jason Fitzgerald of the Sporting News. Starting in year three of the deal (2019), Luck will have lapped the field when it comes to quarterback contracts that are currently on the books — he’ll have earned more than $79MM while Russell Wilson, for example, will have taken home only $70.6MM by year three of his deal. Downsides of the pact, according to Fitzgerald, include the $32MM signing bonus, which doesn’t stack up in terms of percentage of total contract value, and historical relevancy, as Luck still falls short of Aaron Rodgers‘ deal once inflation is accounted for.
- Both of the Colts‘ top two tight ends were eligible for unrestricted free agency during the offseason, but the club chose to re-sign Dwayne Allen instead of Coby Fleener in large part because of the former’s versatility, according to Kevin Bowen of Colts.com. Head coach Chuck Pagano has pointed out that Allen is a more well-rounded tight end that’s more adept in the blocking game, and given that new offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski heavily employs the tight end in his scheme, it made sense for Indianapolis to go with the more complete option.
- Many members of the Colts‘ scouting staff had positive things to say about seventh-round linebacker Trevor Bates, as Bowen writes in a separate piece. PFR has been posting its own reviews of the AFC South draft classes, with evaluator Dave-Te Thomas providing his expert analysis on each selection. We’ve already taken a look at the Texans, Jaguars, and Titans, and the Colts piece will be coming soon.
The Colts have announced the signing of quarterback Andrew Luck to a six-year, $140MM contract extension that will keep him in Indianapolis through at least the 2021 season. The deal – which pays Luck $75MM over its first three years – is the richest in NFL history and includes $87MM in guarantees and $44MM guaranteed at signing. 
Before Wednesday, Giants quarterback Eli Manning and Chargers signal-caller Philip Rivers tied for the record in total guarantees at $65MM. Going by both total and yearly average ($23.3MM), Luck now has the crown. That AAV tops the Ravens’ Joe Flacco ($22.1MM), the Packers’ Aaron Rodgers ($22MM), the Seahawks’ Russell Wilson ($21.9MM), the Steelers’ Ben Roethlisberger ($21.85MM), Manning ($21MM) and Rivers ($20.8MM).
Without a deal for Luck – who was entering his fifth-year option season – the Colts could have retained the passer with the exclusive franchise tags in 2017 and 2018 at estimated salaries of $25MM and $35MM. Given those numbers, a three-year, $76MM figure was long expected to serve as the basis for negotiations.
Luck, whom the Colts chose No. 1 overall out of Stanford in the 2012 draft, completed just 55.3% of his passes and logged 15 touchdowns against 12 interceptions in his injury-riddled, seven-game fourth season. Prior to that, however, he led the league with 40 touchdown passes in 2014 and helped guide the Colts to an AFC title game berth. After going 2-14 in the bridge year between the Peyton Manning era and Luck’s tenure, the Colts posted three consecutive 11-5 seasons from 2012-2014. With Luck on the sideline for most of last season, Indy finished 8-8 and failed to make the playoffs.
Luck’s new contract ends one year after the CBA expires and a year before the current TV deals are done. Although Luck will be 32 then, he could be in line for a much larger deal on the other side of this lucrative extension.
Back in March, Colts owner Jim Irsay mentioned July 4 as a target date for getting an extension done with Luck. Now, the two sides have struck a deal well in advance of the holiday weekend.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter first reported the extension. Contract details courtesy of Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
When I originally outlined this list, I saw more than half the clubs in the NFL as possible landing spots for veteran edge rusher Dwight Freeney. Even in his age-35 season, Freeney managed eight sacks for the Cardinals while playing only 255 defensive snaps. Many teams around the league could use that kind 
of production.
[RELATED: Best Available NFL Free Agents: Defense]
I eventually whittled down the list, and given that Freeney has stated he’d like to play for a winning team during the upcoming season, I tried to weed out clubs that seemingly have no shot at contending in 2016. Still, Freeney is an enticing addition not only because of his ability to disrupt the pocket, but because he’ll come cheap — his deal with Arizona last year was only for the prorated veteran’s minimum (though it did include sack incentives). Cap space won’t be an issue when trying to lure Freeney.
With that said, let’s take a spin around the league and examine some potential fits for Freeney (and his devastating spin move)…
Atlanta Falcons — It’s impossible to overstate just how poor the 2015 Falcons were at getting after opposing quarterbacks. They recorded only 19 sacks, the lowest total for any team in in the league since 2009, and finished last in adjusted sack rate. Atlanta’s only meaningful offseason addition to its defensive line was former Dolphin Derrick Shelby, who as Robert Mays gleefully noted in a recent Ringer NFL podcast (audio link), boasts all of nine career sacks. Freeney visited the Falcons at the beginning of June, but head coach Dan Quinn said his club would off — for now — on signing the veteran edge rusher.
Arizona Cardinals — Freeney has always stated that he’d prefer a return to the desert, but it’s not clear if the Cardinals are reciprocating that interest. Arizona acquired former Patriots pass rusher Chandler Jones this offseason, lessening its need to add another edge presence, and the club would also like to see what it has in its younger options, such as Markus Golden, Alex Okafor, and Shaq Riddick. Still, the Cards clearly know what Freeney brings to the table, so a reunion — at some point down the road — still makes a ton of sense.
Baltimore Ravens — All the way back in March, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said his club “wasn’t done in free agency” and casually mentioned that Freeney remained unsigned. Since that statement, Baltimore hasn’t plucked any key players from the open market, but it did select two rush linebackers — Boise State’s Kamalei Correa and BYU’s Bronson Kaufusi — during the draft. The Ravens will already field two aging veterans, Terrell Suggs and Elvis Dumervil, at outside ‘backer during the upcoming season, so perhaps the team doesn’t want another player who’s near the end of his career. General manager Ozzie Newsome, however, loves experienced players, as evidenced by the fact that Baltimore deployed the fifth-oldest AV-adjusted defense in 2015, according to Chase Stuart of Football Perspective.
Buffalo Bills — Bills general manager Doug Whaley specifically name-checked Freeney last month, indicating that the club would only look to add veterans if their younger players weren’t progressing as planned during camp. But Buffalo definitely has a need, as first-round pick Shaq Lawson will miss some regular season action after undergoing shoulder surgery. Rex Ryan is planning on using a more conventional 3-4 look in 2016, so Freeney would spend most of time at outside linebacker, but he clearly has the versatility to shift back to end if Buffalo shows a 4-3 front.
Cincinnati Bengals — Along with the Falcons, the Bengals are one of two teams that has actually met with Freeney, as they had him had him in for a workout at the end of May. Cincinnati has two above-average starters at end in Carlos Dunlap and Michael Johnson, but the club has little in the way of depth. As Roster Resource shows, the Bengals would be forced to rely on Margus Hunt, Will Clarke, and Marcus Hardison — a group that has all of two sacks to its name — if one of their starters went down. But if Cincinnati does look into officially adding Freeney, reports have indicated that it might not be until training camp begins, or perhaps even later.
Dallas Cowboys — In what is clearly a developing theme among clubs on this list, Cowboys management said at the end of last month that they weren’t interested in Freeney for the time being, as they’d prefer to get a look at their younger rushers first. That stance is going to be a problem for Freeney, who has admitted he’d like to get into a camp as soon as possible in order to prepare mentally. Teams simply don’t have much incentive to sign a veteran who will take practice reps away from less-experienced players. Still, with Demarcus Lawrence and Randy Gregory each facing four-game suspensions, the Cowboys clearly have a pass-rushing need.
Detroit Lions — One side of Detroit’s defensive line is spoken for by the dominant Ziggy Ansah, while the opposite side is manned by the underrated Devin Taylor, an ascending player entering the final year of his rookie deal. However, the Lions did lose both Jason Jones and Darryl Tapp in free agency, so they could certainly use another edge rusher to lessen the load on Taylor, who only played about half of the club’s snaps last season. Freeney would be part of a rotation in the Motor City, which is how he’s best utilized. For what it’s worth, Justin Rogers of MLive.com didn’t dismiss the idea of Detroit signing Freeney when asked earlier this month.
Kansas City Chiefs — The Chiefs could be without linebacker Justin Houston, one of the NFL’s best defensive players of the past half-decade, for part or most of the 2016 season after he underwent ACL surgery earlier this year, but Houston isn’t the only Kansas City edge defender dealing with knee issues. Fellow veteran Tamba Hali is also recovering from offseason surgery and hasn’t participated in camp, while Dee Ford left practice earlier this month with knee tendinitis. Freeney wouldn’t help compensate for any loss in coverage, but he’d be an improvement over current Chiefs backups Frank Zombo and Dezman Moses in terms of pass rush.
New Orleans Saints — We’ve discussed at length the historically inept 2015 Saints defense, so suffice it to say that New Orleans can still use all the help it can get. Last year’s second-round pick, Hau’oli Kikaha, was supposed to make the transition from linebacker to defensive end this summer, but he’ll now miss the entire season after suffering a torn ACL in mid-June. Currently projected to rely on Bobby Richardson (who graded as one of the five worst edge defenders in the league last season, according to Pro Football Focus), Obum Gwacham, and fourth-round rookie David Onyemata to line up opposite Cameron Jordan, the Saints could use Freeney perhaps more than any club on this list.
New York Jets — The Jets will continue to run essentially the same defense used by the 2015 Cardinals, as Arizona continued to employ former defensive coordinator Todd Bowles‘ concepts even after he left for the head coaching job in New York. Gang Green’s defense was very good last year, as they ranked fifth in DVOA and first against the run according to Football Outsider’s metrics. The one area where they weren’t exceptional, however, was pass rush (21st in adjusted sack rate). As Roster Resource details, New York is set to count on Lorenzo Mauldin and Jordan Jenkins — who have played a combined 253 snaps in the NFL (all by Mauldin) — as starting outside linebackers. Freeney, then, could be make sense as a edge rusher who sees 20-25 snaps per game.
Others — The Colts could use another rusher off the edge, but Mike Wells of ESPN.com reported last month that Indianapolis hadn’t engaged in talks with Freeney, and added that a reunion was unlikely. Freeney described a possible stint with the Patriots as a “win-win” for both parties, but Mike Reiss of ESPN.com doesn’t see the fit, noting that New England already has a healthy stable of defensive ends and linebackers. In the NFC, the Eagles could be a landing spot as they convert to a 4-3 scheme under new coordinator Jim Schwartz. Brian Robison isn’t anything special opposite Everson Griffen in the Vikings‘ front, while in Carolina, Mario Addison and Wes Horton are currently the last lines of defense for the Panthers if injuries should befall either Kony Ealy or Charles Johnson.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Colts owner Jim Irsay said in February that Andrew Luck‘s extension – which he signed Wednesday – would be “shocking.” Now that it’s official, though, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk disagrees, arguing that the only true surprise is that Luck fell short of $25MM per year and accepted $23.3MM annually through 2021. Even though Luck’s contract is now the richest in NFL history, Florio contends that the signal-caller could have held out for more money, perhaps by going year to year under the franchise tag. Instead, as Florio tweets, the soon-to-be 27-year-old settled for a team-friendly pact.
Here’s more on Luck’s deal and what it means for the league:
- Dan Graziano of ESPN.com is in lockstep with Florio, noting that Luck’s guaranteed-at-signing total ($44MM) is significantly less than the $60MM Dolphins defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh received as a free agent in 2015 and adding that pushing $27MM in guarantees into the third and fourth years of the deal carries too much risk for Luck. Although the cap has risen 26.2 percent since Aaron Rodgers signed for $22MM per year in 2013, the top QB salary has gone up by only 5.9 percent, observes Graziano, who adds that Luck’s accord should be a letdown for other passers – including the Redskins’ Kirk Cousins.
- Conversely, CSN Mid-Atlantic’s Rich Tandler opines that Luck’s extension likely has Cousins smiling, writing that Cousins’ agent can now use Luck’s deal as a ceiling and Brock Osweiler‘s $18MM AAV as a floor for his franchise-tagged client. Cousins, a fourth-rounder in the 2012 draft (Luck was the No. 1 overall pick that year), will rake in $19.95MM this season if he and the Redskins don’t reach a long-term accord by the July 15 deadline. As of last week, the 27-year-old Cousins and the Redskins hadn’t made progress in contract talks.
- Both Luck and the Colts fell well short of expectations during an 8-8 campaign in 2015. After leading the league with 40 touchdown passes in 2014, Luck missed nine games because of injuries and was underwhelming on the field, completing just 55.3 percent of throws on 6.42 yards per attempt and adding 15 TDs against 12 interceptions. Nevertheless, that didn’t faze Irsay, who fully expected to make Luck the highest-paid player in the league. “You look at the total body of work,” he said (via Mike Wells of ESPN). Prior to 2015, Luck started 52 straight games (playoffs included), led the Colts to three consecutive double-digit-win outputs, and threw for 86 scores and nearly 13,000 yards in the regular season.
- Luck is now one of five important members of the Colts’ offense under team control through at least 2019, as Zak Keefer of the Indianapolis Star points out (on Twitter). Left tackle Anthony Castonzo, first-round center Ryan Kelly and tight end Dwayne Allen are all locked up until the end of the 2019 season, while Indy has No. 1 receiver T.Y. Hilton in its grasp through 2020. With a fifth-year option in his contract, Kelly’s deal could also take him through the conclusion of the 2020 campaign.
Both Colts quarterback Andrew Luck and Seahawks wide receiver Doug Baldwin have landed big-money contract extensions since Tuesday. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk has the details on the two deals:
Luck’s contract includes:
- $44MM in guarantees, including a $32MM signing bonus. Luck will receive the majority of that signing bonus ($18MM, to be exact) in the next 10 days, while the Colts will pay out the remaining $14MM on March 31, 2017.
- A $3MM roster bonus effective on the fifth day of the 2017 league year and guaranteed for skill and injury. The Colts will pay that on March 20, 2017.
- Luck’s $12MM base salary for 2016 is fully guaranteed at signing. His base salaries for 2017 and 2018 ($7MM and $12MM, respectively) are guaranteed only for injury at signing and fully guaranteed on the fifth day of their respective league years. His 2019-2021 base salaries ($9.125MM, $11MM and $11MM) are non-guaranteed.
- A $3MM roster bonus on the fifth day of the 2018 league year that’s guaranteed only for injury at signing. Luck will receive the bonus on March 20, 2018.
- A guaranteed-for-injury $6MM roster bonus due on the fifth day of the 2019 league year and paid on March 18, 2019. That becomes fully guarantees on the fifth day of the 2018 league year.
- A $6MM roster bonus for 2019 that’s guaranteed for injury at signing and earned on the fifth day of the 2019 league year. Payment date: Sept. 17, 2019.
- An $11MM roster bonus due on Day 3 of the 2020 league year. Half will be paid on Sept. 20, 2020, with the other half coming Dec. 15 of that year.
- A $10MM roster bonus due on the fifth day of the 2021 league year (half paid on Dec. 14. 2020, and the other half on Sept. 14, 2021).
- Luck will average $23.1875MM per year (six years, $139.125MM) and rake in $24.954MM in “new money.”
- Cap numbers: $17.3MM in 2016; $18.33MM in 2017; $23.33MM in 2018; $26.45MM in 2019; $27.33MM in 2020; and $26.33MM in 2021.
Baldwin’s contract includes:
- $12MM fully guaranteed at signing and another $12.25MM guaranteed for injury at signing.
- A $7MM signing bonus due April 1, 2017.
- A $4MM roster bonus earned this Monday. Half will be paid by July 11, with the other half by Aug. 15.
- A fully guaranteed $1MM salary in 2016 and a $7.75MM base salary for 2017. The ’17 salary is guaranteed for injury at signing, becoming fully guaranteed on the fifth day of that year’s waiver period.
- $4.5MM of Balwin’s $8.25MM salary for 2018 is guaranteed for injury at signing. That total will become fully guaranteed on the fifth day of the 2018 waiver period.
- Non-guaranteed base salaries of $9.25MM in 2018 and $10.25MM in 2019.
- Per-game roster bonuses totaling $500K in both 2016 and 2017; and $750K in both 2018 and 2019. Those bonuses could take the value of the deal from $47.5MM over five years to $50MM.
- A “new money” average of $10.675MM per year.
On Wednesday morning, defensive lineman Cory Redding took to Twitter to announce his retirement from the NFL. Redding wrote (sic): 
“I’m leaving the game I’ve played for 23 years. Thanks to the teams I played for, coaches, teammates, fans and my family for their support!”
Redding contemplated retirement before signing with the Cardinals last year. After playing a limited role in Arizona in 2015 – he failed to make a start for the first time since his 2003 rookie year – the 35-year-old decided to call it career.
Redding, viewed as a potential cap casualty heading into the spring, was released by the Cardinals in April. At the time, the Cardinals had the second-least amount of cap space in the NFL with just $2.29 in breathing room, which made the move something of a no-brainer. Cutting Redding will reduced the team’s hit from $4MM to $1MM, removing his non-guaranteed $3MM salary from the Cardinals’ books.
In his 12 games last season, Redding played 183 defensive snaps, picking up five tackles and two passes defended. He did show a knack for coming up with big plays, grabbing his second career interception, and recovering a pair of fumbles, including one for a touchdown.
In 2014, Redding started all 16 regular season games for the Colts, racking up 44 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and 3 pass deflections. He also made his presence felt in the postseason, recording 2 sacks and 2 pass deflections to go with 9 total tackles. In total, Redding enjoyed a 13-year career with the Lions, Seahawks, Ravens, Colts, and Cardinals and made a total of 147 starts.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Former Colts running back Zurlon Tipton was killed in an accidental shooting, according to WJBK in Detroit. Tipton was 26 years old. 
Police say Tipton pulled into a service bay at a Michigan car dealership this morning and went to take a duffel bag out of his trunk. The duffel bag had two guns inside, according to the police report, and one of the guns accidentally went off, which led to Tipton being shot in the stomach. Tipton was able to converse with people around him as he was being placed in an ambulance, but he later died at the hospital.
Tipton had an unfortunate history with guns. In December of last year, he was arrested on charges of criminal recklessness with a deadly weapon after he reportedly went to his girlfriend’s home and shot a round from a Colt AR-15 rifle into the house. Reportedly, Tipton’s then girlfriend asked him to protect her as she was receiving threatening texts from an ex-boyfriend. Even though shots were fired in her home, the ex-boyfriend was apparently not there.
Tipton joined the Colts as a UDFA prior to the 2014 season. He was waived by the team on December 21, 2015, just prior to the aforementioned arrest. In his two seasons with the Colts, Tipton appeared in 16 games and rushed for 38 yards off of 15 carries.
We here at Pro Football Rumors extend our heartfelt condolences to Tipton’s family.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
The reviews of Notre Dame wide receiver Will Fuller were largely positive coming into the draft, but some were critical of his hands and his propensity to drop passes. That’s an issue that he’s working hard to correct.
“I think drops are something we work on every day,” Texans receivers coach Sean Ryan said, according to Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle. “We talk about the fundamentals of catching the football: eye control, hand placement. It’s the same for every guy. You can trace 90 percent of those drops to those simple things.”
Earlier today, scouting expert Dave-Te Thomas profiled Fuller and other impact rookies in the Texans’ 2016 draft class. Fuller, he writes, boasted some of the best stop-and-start skills in the draft and he could put that footwork to use immediately this season.
Here’s more from the AFC South:
- The Colts’ 2016 draft class could have a long-term impact on their offensive line, Mike Chappell of CBS4 writes. For the first time since 1983, the Colts used four draft picks on offensive linemen to boost the quality of depth in that unit. Ultimately, the Colts are hopeful that they found a starter or two to develop alongside first-round center Ryan Kelly. Indianapolis’ rookie class also includes third-round Le’Raven Clark, fifth-round tackle/guard Joe Haeg, and seventh-round center Austin Blythe. The Colts formally wrapped up the signing of everyone in their draft class earlier this month when Clark gave his signature.
- UDFA tight end Stephen Anderson is also making a strong impression on the Texans, as Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle writes. “He’s come out and really put in a great effort every day,” Texans tight ends coach John Perry said. “He’s held true to the Cal mantra of being a smart kid. He’s picked up things very quickly and, on top of that, he’s got great athleticism. He’s got good hands. His best trait is he continues to work at it. Here’s a kid who’s just climbed the ladder. He walked on at Cal. Now he comes in here as a free agent. He’s taken advantage of opportunities that have been presented to him. So, he’s fun to work with and I can see him continuing to get better.” Anderson is hoping to hook on at tight end in Houston behind Ryan Griffin and C.J. Fiedorowicz, as shown on the Texans’ Roster Resource page.
- The Jaguars‘ additions on defense this offseason will help their cause in trying to win the AFC South this year, ESPN.com’s Tania Ganguli writes. This spring, the Jags picked up free agent defensive tackle Malik Jackson and free safety Tashaun Gipson. Jacksonville also selected cornerback Jalen Ramsey and linebacker Myles Jack in the draft and 2015 first-rounder Dante Fowler Jr. is set to finally make his debut. Still, Ganguli believes that with the Texans’ upgrade at quarterback and the Colts having a healthy Andrew Luck, it’s going to take more than that bolstered defense to win the division.
A little over 15 months ago, the Rams acquired Nick Foles from the Eagles and quickly locked him into a two-year extension worth $24.5MM, handing him more than $12MM in guaranteed money. After starting 11 games, and completing less than 57% of his passes while posting a 7:10 touchdown-to-interception ratio, Foles was benched for Case Keenum, and remained on the sidelines for the rest of season.
Given that Los Angeles traded up to acquire the No. 1 overall pick and select Jared Goff, Foles is clearly not in the club’s plans, as Keenum and 2015 draft choice Sean Mannion are projected to make the squad. Foles is unhappy with his position on the club and didn’t attend OTAs, and with the Rams exploring a trade, Foles isn’t expected to be with the team at the start of training camp — at the very least, he’ll be dealt away (or possibly released) before Week 1.
Foles, 27, drew trade interest around draft time, but ultimately wasn’t moved. Albert Breer of The MMQB recently reported that Los Angeles is holding onto Foles for the time being in the hopes that he could accrue more value as training camp approaches. An injury could spur other teams to inquire about Foles, but his contract is also a plus. Because the Rams already paid out Foles’ guaranteed $6MM roster bonus, an acquiring club would only be on the hook for Foles’ $1.75MM base salary — a palatable figure for a backup quarterback.
With that preamble out of the way, let’s take a look at a few teams that could express interest in Foles…
Dallas Cowboys — The 2015 Cowboys season showed just how valuable a backup quarterback can be, as Dallas ran through Matt Cassel, Brandon Weeden, and Kellen Moore as Tony Romo dealt with injury. That threesome posted a combined 1-11 record, leaving Cowboys fans wondering what could have been had the club had a competent No. 2 signal-caller. Moore is set to return as the backup, with fourth-round rookie Dak Prescott scheduled to handle clipboard duties, as Roster Resource shows. Foles would be an improvement over both of those options, and Dallas was one of several teams that Ian Rapoport of NFL.com linked to Foles at the beginning of the league year.
Detroit Lions — The Lions re-signed backup Dan Orlovsky this offseason, but they only handed the veteran $160K guaranteed on a one-year, minimum salary benefit contract, so they could easily move on if they were to acquire Foles. Elsewhere on the roster, Detroit boasts 2016 sixth-round pick Jake Rudock, who has yet to inspire confidence. “There’s not a phase that he has under control at this point in time,” head coach Jim Caldwell said of Rudock earlier this month. Matthew Stafford has been remarkably durable since a lost 2010 season, as he hasn’t missed a single start over the past five years, so giving up anything of value for Foles might not be worth it.
Indianapolis Colts — Like the Lions, the Colts have a somewhat reputable backup option in Scott Tolzien, whom they signed to a two-year deal that contains $500K guaranteed. Because of that amount of guaranteed cash, Indianapolis is highly unlikely to move on from Tolzien at any point this season, so they’re probably among the least likely teams on this list to go after Foles. But I included them here because Tolzien is far from a lock as a No. 2 quarterback. He’s probably gained some recognition over the years for serving as Aaron Rodgers‘ backup, but Tolzien has only attempted 91 passes during his career — most of those attempts came back in 2013, when he tossed five interceptions against just one touchdown.
Kansas City Chiefs — Andy Reid is a known developer of quarterback talent, and the Chiefs have brought in several backup options over the past couple years, investing draft capital in Kevin Hogan and Aaron Murray, while signing (and then extending) undrafted free agent Tyler Bray. The only problem? None of those signal-callers have ever taken a snap in an NFL game, which means Kansas City could be in a precarious position if Alex Smith goes down. Foles, then, would represent a bit more certainty at the No. 2 position.
New York Jets — Though negotiations between the Jets and Ryan Fitzpatrick continue to drag on, it still seems like the two sides will eventually come to an agreement. If that happens, New York clearly won’t be in the market for another quarterback. But as things currently stand, Foles would represent an upgrade over Christian Hackenberg and Bryce Petty, and is perhaps on par with fellow starting option Geno Smith. General manager Mike Maccagnan said during the draft that he wasn’t aiming to acquire another quarterback, but that was before talks with Fitzpatrick stalled.
San Francisco 49ers — Whether or not the Rams would be open to trading within their division is an open question, but Foles had the most success of his career under current 49ers head coach Chip Kelly, tossing 27 touchdowns in 2013 when the duo was with the Eagles. Still, San Francisco looks set to go forward with a competition between Colin Kaepernick and Blaine Gabbert, so Foles might not be the best fit, especially given that Kaepernick’s base salary is fully guaranteed.
Seattle Seahawks — Again, it’s not clear if Los Angeles would want to trade Foles to another team in the NFC West, but the Seahawks have very little between Russell Wilson. Tarvaris Jackson doesn’t look to be an option after being arrested on Friday, so it looks as though the club will go with undrafted free agent Trevone Boykin as their backup signal-caller. Boykin, like Wilson, offers mobility in and outside the pocket, so Seattle might prefer him to Foles, who sometimes resembles a statue under center.
Some of these clubs make more sense than others — the Cowboys, for example, stand out as a club that could certainly use an upgrade at backup quarterback. Additionally, it’s reasonable to expect that the Rams find they can’t acquire anything of value in exchange for Foles, and are instead forced to release him. If that’s the case, this list simply becomes a catalog of clubs who could express interest in signing the veteran quarterback.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.