Getty Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones
The Dallas Cowboys again have been connected to a potential trade for Chicago Bears quarterback Nick Foles.
With franchise QB Dak Prescott (shoulder) ailing and his backups (Garrett Gilbert, Ben DiNucci, Cooper Rush) less than spectacular, Tim Kelly of 105.3 The Fan suggested the Cowboys acquire Foles from Chicago ahead of the 2021 regular season.
“Even if Prescott is good to go for Week 1, the possibility exists that in the league’s new 17-game schedule, he’ll miss a game or two,” Kelly wrote Thursday. “It’s true that if Prescott misses an extended period of time, the Cowboys are probably in trouble regardless of who their backup is. We saw that last year when Andy Dalton, seemingly one of the best backups in the NFL, went 4-5 in nine starts after Prescott suffered a season-ending compound fracture and dislocation of his right ankle. But could having a good backup — one that maybe has to see extensive action in one or two games — be the difference in making or missing the playoffs? Sure.”
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A Financially Feasible Acquisition?
In June, John Owning of the Dallas Morning News floated a hypothetical swap in which the Cowboys surrender a late-round draft pick in exchange for Foles, who’s under contract through 2022, his age-33 campaign. The ex-Eagles QB — MVP of Super Bowl 52 — agreed to a restructured three-year deal upon arriving via trade from Jacksonville in 2020. He’s currently third on the Bears’ depth chart, behind Andy Dalton and Justin Fields.
As of this writing, Dallas does not possess the salary-cap capability to absorb Foles’ pact. But, Kelly notes, there are ways that owner/general manager Jerry Jones can finesse his purse strings to make it happen, if he so chooses.
“The price to acquire Nick Foles from the Chicago Bears surely can’t be high right now, considering he’s behind both the aforementioned Dalton and Justin Fields on the depth chart,” he wrote. “Foles has a $6.6 million cap hit in 2021 — Over The Cap estimates that the Cowboys have $5.43 million in cap space currently — so there would have to be some financial maneuvering to make such a deal work. Perhaps the Cowboys are content to wait and see if the Bears just release Foles, but in waiting any longer, you’re increasing how much of an uphill battle it would be to have him ready for Week 1 if needed.”
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Gilbert Reacts to QB2 Audition
The former AAF star and NFL journeyman is the clubhouse leader to back up Prescott in 2021. Say this for him: Gilbert has appeared competent while running the first-string offense. He completed 9-of-13 passes for 104 yards in Dallas’ preseason-opener against Pittsburgh and 7-of-16 balls for 80 yards amid last week’s loss at Arizona. So, has Gilbert done enough to cement the QB2 job?
“That’s not for me to decide,” he told reporters Wednesday, via The Athletic. “I’m here to get better every day. That’s something that has served me well in the past. … I’m gonna do my job and let the chips fall where they may.”
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Follow Zack Kelberman on Twitter: @KelbermanNFL
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Cowboys Could Trade for Former Super Bowl MVP QB