By: Kipp Branch

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

It was a move that had been speculated for months.

The Jacksonville Jaguars landed their quarterback, Nick Foles, on the first day of the NFL free agency tampering period.

Foles signed a four-year, $88 million deal, including $50.2 million in guarantees. This comes one year after the team gave Bortles a three-year, $54 million extension. To make room for Foles’ contract, the Jaguars will cut Bortles and eat $16.5 million in dead money.

New Jaguar offensive coordinator, John DeFilippo, worked on the Eagles staff when Foles led the team to the Super Bowl win two years ago over New England.

It will be a reunion of sorts as DeFilippo already knows the strengths of his new quarterback’s game and the belief is that Foles can hit the ground running in Jacksonville.

The Jaguars were horrible on offense in 2018. Foles will be an instant upgrade, and Foles signing officially ends the Blake Bortles era in Jacksonville.

Bortles had a 24-29 record and tossed 103 touchdowns and threw 75 interceptions. He was an original third-overall pick by Jacksonville in 2014.

Kudos to Tom Coughlin and the Jags on the Foles signing. With this move, the Jaguars are telling their fan base that this team can win now, and now that the quarterback situation is settled the team can focus on the upcoming draft.

Foles was taken by Philadelphia in the third round of the 2012 NFL Draft and played the first three years of his career with the franchise. He was traded to the then-St. Louis Rams prior to the 2015 season and spent the 2016 season with the Kansas City Chiefs. He would eventually sign a two-year contract that would return him to the Eagles in 2017.

Foles earned his place in Philly sports lore when he led the Eagles to a 41-33 win over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl 52 for their first title 1960.

Foles completed 28 of 43 passes for 373 yards and 3 touchdowns. He also caught a touchdown pass that changed the momentum of the game, and was named Super Bowl MVP.

He was loved in Philly by the loyal Eagles fans, but he needed an opportunity to lead his own team. Jacksonville came calling for his services.

Foles went 25-13 as a starting QB in Philly which happens to be the highest winning percentage for a QB in Eagles history. He is 30 years old and will bring leadership to a locker room in Jacksonville that can benefit from it at this moment in time.

Now that the Jaguars have Foles they need to get him some offensive line help, and some badly needed playmakers on offense. It would seem with the signing of a veteran QB that Jaguars may address QB in the 2020/2021 draft for Foles successor.

The Jags may bring a free agent receiving target to give Foles some help, or address that position in the upcoming draft.

Ok Jags fans, you have your quarterback now. You have a top five defense, and you are set up to win now. It’s time to get it done.

The Jaguars did not sit around with the Foles signing. This team is now a contender again. There will be doubters as well with this high profile move, but I ask this question in closing. How many NFL teams have a Super Bowl MVP Quarterback under center currently? I know the Jaguars do and that is a huge upgrade from where they have been.