The first major injury of to a notable starting quarterback this season occurred Week 3 when 49ers signal caller Jimmy Garoppolo suffered a torn ACL - the same day Carson Wentz finally returned for the Eagles.
Now, some can't help but wonder if the confluence of events created an opportunity for the Eagles to trade Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles to the 49ers, who were a trendy playoff pick entering 2018.
"Making a deal for Foles would not prevent the 49ers from remaining committed to Garoppolo, as Foles is a free agent at the end of the season," writes 94WIP's Eliot Shorr-Parks. "They could re-sign Foles if they wanted, or take advantage of the mutual option in the contract. Although Garoppolo will likely be ready for Week 1 of the 2019 season, Foles would be a valuable backup for the 49ers throughout the offseason and into the regular season."
It's worth mentioning up front the overwhelming majority of the conjecture is coming out of Philadelphia, not San Francisco, where it seems media and fans are a little more resigned to the team's fate.
"Nick Foles helped the Eagles win the Super Bowl, and obviously that's not in the cards for these 49ers," writes Chris Biderman for The Sacramento Bee. "Philadelphia had arguably the best roster in the NFL last season, with depth along the offensive line and a loaded defense. The 49ers aren't close to that talent and depth."
The second assessment is probably a lot more realistic.
While there was a reasonable expectation the 49ers would improve, the Super Bowl was a lofty goal, to begin with. The club won its final five games after Garoppolo took over to finish with a 6-10 record, but built the streak against a relatively easy schedule. Furthermore, the organization won just three of its previous 27 before going on that run.
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This team was far from a finished product. In fact, the 49ers were off to a 1-2 start with Garoppolo at the helm. They're likely to drop to 1-3 Sunday after a trip to meet the Chargers. That's a big hole to dig out of in the NFC, which boasts a deep group of playoff contenders.
Who knows when Foles would even be ready to play in a new offense. When the 49ers acquired Garoppolo at last year's trade deadline, it was weeks until he started - and the league has seen how Foles performs in suboptimal conditions.
This isn't the same scenario as the Vikings in 2016, coming off a playoff appearance, losing their quarterback in training camp and able to trade for Sam Bradford before Week 1. The 49ers are too far in and too far out to make a significant reinvestment under center.
Not to mention the Eagles might not be quick to part with Foles, either. Wentz looks like his old self, but should anything happen, at least the reigning Super Bowl champions still have a great backup in place.
