Foles: Happy for Kaepernick, not thinking about my deal
Predictably, Nick Foles was asked today about the new contract 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick signed last week. Foles said he was happy for Kaepernick but isn't looking for a guidepost for his pending negotiations next offseason.
Nick Foles' contract is going to be one of those recurring themes of the 2014 season. So far, Foles has been asked about it each time he has addressed reporters during Eagles organized team activites.
Monday, the topic pretty much had to come up, in the wake of the new deal signed by 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, initially reported at $126 million, with $61 million guaranteed. It turned out to be a much more complex deal, with only about $13 million guaranteed, and lots of incentives, which could be a way to go if you THINK you have a franchise quarterback and aren't quite absolutely certain, or if you just want your franchise quarterback to keep his edge after you've written him a big check.
Foles, as a third-round pick in 2012, will make $625,000 this year and isn't eligible for a salary upgrade until after the 2014 season -- the same situation Kaepernick faced a year ago.
"I was just happy for him," Foles said of Kaepernick, who took the 49ers to the Super Bowl after the 2012 season and the NFC Championship Game last season. "He's played really well. I followed him in college when he was at Nevada, and I thought he had a great college career, so I was excited to see him be able to provide for his family and do great things with it."
Does this help set the market for Foles?
"You know. I've always said how I play, how our team is, how I am as a leader will take care of that when the time comes, I'm really just having fun out here. Having fun with my teammates and having fun playing this game ... I'm really just cherishing this ... If we're fortunate enough to get to that down the road, then we'll deal with it," said Foles, who threw 27 touchdown passes last season with just two interceptions.
Surely he monitors what the QB market is doing? (it's skyrocketing.)
"Not really. I think, you start worrying about numbers, you stop worrying about what you're doing, that's where you mess up. None of that really matters, I'm happy for those guys, that they're doing well, but my most important thing is being successful with my teammates," Foles said. "All that business stuff, all that other stuff'll take care of itself down the road. The most important thing is, you get a contract like that because you've played well and you've proved that you can be that guy for the franchise, whereas I have to continue to prove that, each and every day. I have a lot of guys on this team that look to me to go out here and work hard.
"When I'm playing out there, there's no dollar sign on me when I'm throwing a ball. I've got to throw a ball because I've grown up with this game and grown up being a quarterback. So I have to do it to the best of my ability, and at the end of the day, we'll see what happens."
Foles spent several minutes chatting with team chairman Jeffrey Lurie following practice. Foles said they were talking about practice, not hashing out the contract.