Even before he has taken a regular season snap with the team, the St. Louis Rams decided to give new starting quarterback Nick Foles a vote of confidence on Friday evening.
The two sides agreed to terms on a two-year, $24.5 million contact that will take him through the 2017 season. The deal is said to be worth $14 million guaranteed.
Foles, 26, was acquired from the Philadelphia Eagles along with a future second-round pick for Sam Bradford back in March. He started eight games last season, finishing with a 6-2 record before going down with a broken collarbone. Despite the record, Foles struggled significantly compared to a 2013 season that saw him win eight of his 10 starts while throwing 27 touchdowns compared to two interceptions. Foles' struggles last season (13 touchdowns, 10 interceptions) can mainly be attributed to accuracy issues and what was an injury-depleted Eagles offensive line.
Once Eagles head coach Chip Kelly decided Foles wasn't the long-term solution—likely during the 2014 season—it was obvious he wouldn't be with the team for too much longer. That lack of confidence in him, especially following his 2013 performance, might be one of the reasons Foles took a short-term deal now rather than bet on a stellar performance during the 2015 season in order to build up his stock for free agency next March.
Foles, a former third-round pick in 2012, is now the 20th highest-paid quarterback in the NFL in terms of annual salary. His guarantees of $14 million ranks 25th among quarterbacks.