:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/53669499/598596436.0.jpg)
As expected to happen all along, the Philadelphia Eagles signed Nick Foles on Monday morning. The only thing unexpected about this Foles signing is the timing. One could figure this signing would have happened after the Eagles traded Chase Daniel, not before.
In any event, it seems like Daniel is definitely headed on the way out. The Eagles need cap space and the 30-year-old veteran passer can be traded to save $6 million (as opposed to being cut to save $1 million). The Eagles don’t really need Daniel around to mentor Carson Wentz anymore since the young passer has experience in Doug Pederson’s system now.
It was reported earlier this offseason that Daniel was drawing interest in the trade market. Then Jason La Canfora recently reported: “[the Eagles] explored trades for backup QB Chase Daniel, who'd like to compete for a No. 1 job. Nothing made sense. Maybe that changes down the line.”
Now NFL insider Ian Rapoport is listing two potential landing spots for Daniel. He had the following to say on NFL Network on Monday morning.
This is something that’s kind of been going on for the last couple weeks. He has been made available via potential trade. He has garnered interest. Would not be surprised if the Eagles trade Chase Daniel and his salary. Couple teams to keep an eye on: the Chicago Bears and the New Orleans Saints. And the reason I mention those two teams is Ryan Pace is the GM with the Bears. The Saints obviously first scouted and signed Chase Daniel. So there’s a lot of ties there interwoven together. Both of those places will have interest.
The Bears signed Mike Glennon to presumably be their starter though Daniel could, in theory, compete with him for the No. 1 spot. There’s no way Daniel challenges Drew Brees in New Orleans but maybe the Saints would like to have him on the roster for if/when Brees eventually retires.
It’s hard to imagine the Eagles will get much for Daniel in a trade, but honestly, who cares? Trading him for virtually anything to save the cap space is worth it. The Eagles traded Mark Sanchez last offseason for a conditional seventh-round pick that didn’t end up conveying but the deal was totally worth it because trading him saved $1 million more than cutting him. Perhaps Howie Roseman will look to pull off a similar trade this offseason.