Nick Foles is coming to town. After Marcus Mariota’s preseason, Eagles should make sure Foles stays

Is it a sign of what should be? A harbinger of things to come? Or is it just cruel coincidence?

In a week when so much intrigue surrounding Nick Foles’ possible return to Philadelphia as a player holds the city in thrall, Nick Foles is actually returning to Philadelphia, to participate in Fan Fest 2023 on Saturday at Xfinity Live!

Incredibly, the Eagles are also holding a joint practice and play a preseason game with the Colts, which is the team that plays so crucial a part in the Nick Foles narrative.

Carson Wentz forced his 2021 exit to Indianapolis, where he played the second of the three seasons that ruined his career. Foles landed in Indy last year, where he proved for the seventh time in his 11-year career, that he’s not a franchise quarterback.

Foles is, however, the perfect backup. He’s played in virtually every style of offense. He’s played for eight different coaches who have won a total of three Super Bowls. He’s versatile, lovable, knowledgeable, supportive, confident, and the size of his, er, confidence is magnificent.

In this moment, Eagles veteran Marcus Mariota, 29, is, performing worse than anyone expected for a team as weaponized as the Birds. After two preseason outings, his 56.3 passer rating is the worst of any quarterback who has started at least seven games in the last three years.

In this moment, Foles is 34, healthy, and unemployed.

An NFL source said the team considered Mariota a better fit, stylistically, as Jalen Hurts’ backup. The source also said that, if Foles returned, the Eagles did not worry that Hurts would be affected by the return of a man whose “Philly Special” statue resides outside Lincoln Financial Field.

» READ MORE: James Harden lied, not Daryl Morey; Marcus Mariota sparks Eagles QB controversy

In this moment, it makes sense to cut bait with Mariota, Chip Kelly’s greatest mirage. Mariota cost the Eagles $5 million. Is it worth $5 million more to re-re-sign the greatest backup quarterback in franchise history?

Is it wise to invest $10 million in the backup quarterback spot — the position managing partner Jeffrey Lurie considers the second-most important on the team?

Absolutely.

Get “Big Play” Nick in the building before the season starts. Mariota was benched twice in the past four years, and he was a five-year loser in Tennessee. It would be irresponsible to put the best team in the NFC, filled with rising and fading stars, in the hands of sixth-round rookie Tanner McKee. Get Foles in the nest before another team wakes up to his value.

Remember, in the 2017 offseason Lurie spent $5 million to ditch Chase Daniel and another $7 million to sign Foles. That $12 million insurance policy was the best money Lurie has spent in his 30 years as the owner.

» READ MORE: Do the Eagles have a No. 2 quarterback problem with Marcus Mariota or is the answer Tanner McKee?

Can Jalen Hurts handle playing in front of a legend? Absolutely. Hurts’ manic self-motivation will never allow him to consider who’s behind him on the depth chart. Even with a new $255 million contract and after his MVP runner-up 2022 season. It’s insulting to Jalen Hurts to even ask this question, but the tenure and departure of Wentz makes it necessary.

Wentz resented Foles’ success not only after Foles won Super Bowl LII, but also after Wentz was injured again in 2018 and Foles won a playoff game (Wentz remains winless in the postseason).

The Eagles were so concerned about Wentz’s fragile ego that, when Foles left in 2019 to be the Jaguars’ starter, they signed 40-year-old Josh McCown. When Wentz got hurt in the playoffs after that season, McCown’s abysmal play cost them the game.

Meanwhile, after signing an $88 million free-agent contract, Foles was failing in Jacksonville. Which brings us to this point:

By rights, Hurts never should have worn midnight green. Foles should have been the Eagles’ backup the past three seasons. The Bears sent a fourth-round pick to the Jags for Foles, who restructured his deal at $8 million per season.

But the Eagles knew Wentz could never handle Foles’ return. That’s one reason why they drafted Hurts. They figured Wentz could handle the presence of a second-round pick who immediately projected as a gadget QB and, in the long term, was thought to be a project with a modest ceiling.

It turned out Wentz couldn’t even handle Hurts.

But again, it’s an insult to compare Hurts’ psyche to Wentz’s.

With Nick on the way, this is a week of pleasant nostalgia for Eagles fans who appreciate Foles’ service and understand his limitations.

It is delicious torture for more fanatical Eagles fans who worship the athlete who rode a once-in-a-lifetime hot streak to a Super Bowl MVP in a town where winning a Lombardi Trophy meant the most.

Certainly, the arguments for Foles’ return outweigh the arguments against. He’s been careful about stumping for the job. Last week, on John Clark’s “Take Off” podcast on NBC Sports Philadelphia, Foles exercised humility and diplomacy.

“There’s nothing like Philadelphia. ... I wish I could have stayed there my whole career,” Foles told Clark.

He’s considered quitting before. How about now?

“I’m not retired,” he said.

When he does retire, though, “I have a longing to finish it as an Eagle, if they’ll have me.”

Oh, they’ll have you.

If Mariota continues to stink Thursday against the Colts, they’d be wise to have you Friday morning.