Nov. 26, 2012; Philadelphia; Then-Eagles quarterback Nick Foles (9) walks past Andy Reid in the first half of against the Carolina Panthers at Lincoln Financial Field (AP Photo/Michael Perez)
Free agent quarterback Nick Foles has signed with the Kansas City Chiefs, according to multiple media reports.
Foles requested his release from the Los Angeles Rams after the team selected California quarterback Jared Goff with the first overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. Foles was released by the team July 27.
In Kansas City, Foles will reunite with Chiefs head coach Andy Reid. The Philadelphia Eagles selected Foles in the third round of the 2012 NFL draft while Reid was the team’s head coach.
Foles started six games as rookie under Reid, completing 60.8 percent of his passes for 1,699 yards and six touchdowns along with five interceptions.
The Chiefs currently carry the maximum of 90 players on the roster. A player must be placed on injured reserve or released in order to accommodate Foles.
The team will also need to make a salary cap roster move to free up space for the quarterback. The team had just $432,795 in salary cap space available on Wednesday, according to the NFLPA.
Foles requires an annual salary of at $760,000 as a fifth-year veteran. His contract with the Rams was due to pay him $1 million in 2016. The Rams already paid Foles a $6 million roster bonus before the NFL draft.
The acquisition of Foles upturns the battle for the backup quarterback behind Alex Smith. Tyler Bray and Aaron Murray have been competing for the job along with rookie Kevin Hogan.
The signing of Foles likely means the departure of Bray or Murray, and perhaps both. Releasing or trading either quarterback would free up more than $600,000 in salary cap space each. That would be enough to accomodate the minimum contract for Foles.
Neither Bray or Murray have done much to distinguish themselves in the quarterback competition. Bray is known for this strong throwing arm, which has been displayed in camp. But he has thrown several interceptions, including two poorly thrown passes on Wednesday.
The Chiefs have a schedule off day at training camp on Thursday before returning to practice Friday morning.
———-
Matt Derrick is the associate editor for ChiefsDigest.com. Use the contact page to reach him or find him on Twitter: @MattDerrick.
———-
