Eagles quarterback Sam Bradford plans to play out the final year of his deal rather than signing an extension, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. The two sides began discussing an extension last month but there apparently won’t be a deal struck before the start of the season, or during it for that matter.
Bradford, 27, came to the Eagles in an offseason deal that saw Nick Foles shipped out to St. Louis. Bradford has battled injuries over the past two seasons, including an ACL injury that forced him to miss the entire 2014 season. In his last full season, the former first-overall pick threw for 3,702 yards, 21 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. During that 2012 campaign, Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked Bradford 21st among 38 quarterback candidates.
Recently, PFR’s Dallas Robinson looked at Bradford as a possible extension candidate. Within the piece, he reasoned that a short-term extension would have made the most sense for both sides. At 27, another three years on Bradford’s current deal would have resulted in him hitting the open market at 31, when he could net another big deal.
The Eagles likely had reservations about a long-term pact with Bradford due to his injury history, but with quarterbacks at a premium, it made sense for them to at least explore an extension. Bradford’s medical file includes two torn ACLs in his five-year career and he’s played in only 49 out of a possible 80 games since entering the league. By the same token, rumors of the Eagles offering him up in trade talks shortly after acquiring him could have given Bradford pause about joining up with them for the long run.
Meanwhile, the Rams are still working on an extension with Nick Foles, whom they acquired in exchange for Bradford earlier this offseason. On Sunday, PFR’s Connor Byrne looked at Foles as an extension candidate.
The Eagles were expecting to extend him on the cheap. He’s hoping to have a good year, and get a bigger deal next year. Quite a gamble, if you ask me.
It is somewhat of a gamble but after his lucrative rookie deal he can certainly afford to roll the dice.
Play a full season before you talk about a max deal
Bradford isn’t thinking max deal right now, but he feels he could be worth more than whatever the Eagles are offering right now.
How many teams in the NFL find themselves desperate for a *decent* quarterback every offseason? If Bradford is healthy and holds the job from wire to wire (not a guarantee, of course, w/ Sanchez there) he’ll have tons of money thrown at him.
Sanchez is the next starting QB and the Eagles know that. Why pay Bradford when he’s never won a thing. You got Sanchez for nothing and they both have up and down sides. It is what it is Chip couldn’t get the guy he wanted draft day and thats the bottomline
The Eagles were looking into extending him because of the premium $ paid out to quarterbacks. If they could have locked him up on a medium-term deal for not that much, it would have been a wise gamble on their part.
Chip Kelly specifically traded for him because he believes that he can be a stud. Er, well, he also wanted him as a trade chip for Mariota. But also because he could be a solid QB in Philly!
Play a game 4 u talk anything…. rams lucked up if u ask me
It makes sense for Bradford to play and make his case why he deserves such a huge contract.
Go Bradford, prove the Eagles were right.
For a guy that’s played what 4 games in the last two years that’s pretty arrogant. He gets hurt, SOL
I wouldn’t say it’s arrogance, I think he’s just confident in his abilities and willing to gamble a bit.
If he doesn’t get hurt, and plays all 16 games. I think he will throw 35td’s and 12 int’s and the Eagles will pay him 120 million for 5 years. And hopefully he brings us a super bowl win. I think he will when it’s all done.
I wrote this in that Bradford piece, but he’s made so much money in his career ($78MM or so I think), that he has basically no incentive to take any sort of below market deal. It makes all the sense in the world for him to hope that Kelly’s system allows him to put up huge numbers, and then capitalize.