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Sam Bradford

NFC Rumors: Eagles, Vikes, Giants, Redskins

March 29th, 2017 at 10:29pm CST by Dallas Robinson

When the Eagles re-signed quarterback Sam Bradford to a two-year deal in the spring of 2016, the club structured the contract in such a way that enabled them to trade Bradford before the end of the pact, owner Jeffrey Lurie told Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com and Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter links). Lurie equated the Bradford deal to buying a draft pick, as the Eagles gave the veteran signal-caller an $11MM signing bonus that would immediately accelerate on Philadelphia’s salary cap in the event of a trade. The Eagles, of course, did end up dealing Bradford to the Vikings for a 2017 first-round pick.

Here’s more from the NFC:

  • After conceding that he has “no idea” if Teddy Bridgewater will be able to play in 2017, Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer said his club will likely bring in a backup quarterback fairly soon, report Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press and Mark Craig of the Minneapolis Star Tribune (Twitter links). Along with Bridgewater, the only QBs on Minnesota’s roster are Bradford and 24-year-old Taylor Heinecke, who has never attempted an NFL pass. Shaun Hill, the Vikings’ No. 2 quarterback last season, is an unrestricted free agent. Ryan Fitzpatrick, Matt McGloin, and Case Keenum are among the best available free agent signal-callers who would be open to a reserve role.
  • The Giants are open to adding a veteran kicker to compete with unproven option Aldrick Rosas, per Dan Duggan of NJ.com (Twitter link). Rosas, 22, is the only kicker on New York’s roster, and he’s never attempted a kick in the NFL. The Giants signed the former undrafted free agent to a futures deal in January. Robbie Gould, Big Blue’s kicker in 2016, signed a two-year, $4MM contract with the 49ers earlier this month.
  • Redskins head coach Jay Gruden was upset to hear about the dismissal of former general manager Scot McCloughan. as Liz Clarke of the Washington Post writes. “I was disappointed,” Gruden said. “I like Scot. I liked working with Scot. I think he’s a good person and a great talent evaluator. Anytime you lose someone, it’s disappointing. But at the end of the day, it’s professional football. Anyone who has been around it understands that change is going to happen.” Washington isn’t planning to hire a new GM until after the draft.

Vikes Notes: AP, QBs, Kalil, Floyd, Greenway

February 23rd, 2017 at 6:22pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Vikings running back Adrian Peterson has a $6MM roster bonus due March 11, two days after the market opens, but general manager Rick Spielman told reporters Thursday that the rusher’s future “will get addressed here before free agency starts” (via Andrew Krammer of the Star Tribune). Spielman hasn’t yet spoken to Peterson or his representative, but it’s fair to suggest that the Vikings likely won’t exercise the seven-time Pro Bowler’s option. Even if they don’t, though, Spielman indicated he’s amenable to bringing back the soon-to-be 32-year-old Peterson at a lesser cost in 2017. “If we don’t exercise that option, we always will keep the door open on all of our players,” Spielman said.

Regardless of whether Peterson returns next season as Minnesota’s No. 1 back, it has “got to run the football better,” head coach Mike Zimmer told Lindsey Young of the team’s website. The Vikings finished dead last in rushing (1,205) and yards per carry (3.2) last season, and barely having Peterson available didn’t help. While Peterson posted a microscopic 1.9 YPC, he did it over just 37 carries, having missed most of the year because of a torn meniscus.

More from Spielman:

  • Sam Bradford will start under center next season for the Vikings, but the quarterback position is “in flux” beyond that, according to Spielman. The Vikings have another starting-caliber signal-caller, Teddy Bridgewater, though he missed the 2016 campaign and might not play next season on account of the devastating knee injury he suffered last August. Spielman responded to that by trading the club’s first-round pick in this year’s draft (and a fourth in 2018) to the Eagles for Bradford, and the executive maintains that he “would do that over in a millisecond to get Sam Bradford on our football team with the circumstances we were dealing with.” Bradford is “just right now in the prime of his career,” Spielman opined, and is due to hit free agency next winter. Although the Vikings only went 7-8 with Bradford (8-8 overall), the 29-year-old fared respectably atop an ultra-conversative passing offense, having set the single-season completion percentage record (71.6) and posted 20 touchdowns against five interceptions.
  • Like Bradford, Bridgewater could also become a free agent next offseason if the Vikings don’t control him via his fifth-year option, which they’ll have to exercise or decline by May. In updating Bridgewater’s recovery, Spielman said: “He’s in the process of working through his motion. I know he’s doing specific things in rehab to get him back to being functional. When he’s going to be ready for football, dropping back and things like that — I think that’s still to be determined.”
  • Elsewhere on offense, the Vikings could lose longtime No. 1 left tackle Matt Kalil to free agency. Spielman, though, seemed to imply interest in re-signing the 27-year-old. “We have a plan in place on everything,” he stated. “But I also know I have a pretty good history of trying to keep our own guys as well.” Kalil missed all but two games last year because of a hip injury, and he hasn’t lived up to expectations since going fourth overall in the 2012 draft. However, he racked up 16 starts in each of his four seasons prior to 2016 and now stands as one of the most accomplished pending free agent tackles in a weak class.
  • Defensively, Spielman noted that tackle Sharrif Floyd, a potential cap casualty, is “under contract.” Like Peterson and Kalil, Floyd barely took the field last season (one appearance). But “he’s a pretty good player” when healthy, offered Spielman, who added that the team’s defense missed Floyd last season. Floyd sounds safe based on those comments, then, but Spielman could cut him by March 9 and get out of the 25-year-old’s entire $6.75MM-plus cap hit for 2017. As with Floyd, linebacker Chad Greenway‘s fate for next season will become known by the first day of the league year. Greenway, 34, will decide by then whether to retire. The pending free agent revealed last month that he’d only continue his career as a Viking, with whom he has spent all 10 of his seasons.

Extra Points: Revis, Jets, Bills, Vikes, Panthers

December 30th, 2016 at 9:02pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Cornerback Darrelle Revis wants to retire a Jet, he told Brian Costello of the New York Post, but it’s possible the team will release the declining defender in the offseason. Regarding that notion, the 10th-year man offered, “My thing would be this: Do the New York Jets want to treat my situation with class or no class? With me being one of the best players in the history of this franchise, do they want me to retire here or not retire here?”

Revis sees himself as “one of the best cornerbacks to ever play this game,” but he realizes he’s “losing a step.” Thus, the soon-to-be 32-year-old is seemingly open to taking a pay cut to remain with the Jets. “You have to understand what the next step is, what the next chapter is for you, and I understand that,” he said. “You feel where you’re at in your career, you talk to the guys upstairs and see what’s going to best help me and best help the team moving forward.”

Revis is set to rake in a $13MM salary and count upward of $15.333MM against the cap next season, and the Jets surely view those as unpalatable figures. If the two sides do renegotiate Revis’ contract prior to next season, he’ll represent himself.

More from around the NFL:

  • Even if Teddy Bridgewater recovers from his disastrous knee injury by next season, the Vikings will begin 2017 with Sam Bradford as their starting quarterback, report Chris Mortensen and Adam Schefter of ESPN. Not only has Bradford fared well this year, but he’ll account for a $17MM cap hit against Bridgewater’s relatively meager $2.18MM charge next season. Both signal-callers are scheduled to become free agents in March 2018.
  • Bills wide receiver Sammy Watkins opined Thursday that the team needs to “change the culture” in the wake of Rex Ryan‘s firing. Another high-profile Bill, running back LeSean McCoy, shared a similar sentiment Friday. “I think the discipline has been an issue,” McCoy told reporters, including Mike Rodak of ESPN.com. “Players just [need to take] accountability for their own actions. … I just think as players, as professionals, we need to step up and play accountable. That’s the biggest issue.” McCoy added that “the coaches have to be hard on us” and “yell at us,” and revealed that players often had difficulty understanding their on-field assignments under Ryan. Similarly, defensive tackle Marcell Dareus said Tuesday that Ryan’s scheme may have been too complicated. It’s worth noting, of course, that Watkins, McCoy and Dareus are likely the Bills’ three best players.
  • Panthers offensive lineman Trai Turner expressed confidence Thursday that left tackle Michael Oher would return next season. That will indeed be the case, per ESPN’s David Newton, who writes that Oher is out of the concussion protocol and preparing for the 2017 campaign. The 30-year-old missed all but three games this season as a result of the concussion he suffered in Week 2.
  • To recap a day filled with pass rusher-related news, the Seahawks extended Michael Bennett; the Colts’ Robert Mathis, who’s 18th on the all-time sack list, is retiring after Sunday; and the NFL won’t reinstate suspended Raider Aldon Smith this season.

NFC Notes: Vikings, Eagles, Barwin, Panthers

December 29th, 2016 at 6:28pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

It’s unclear whether Sam Bradford or Teddy Bridgewater will be the Vikings’ starting quarterback next year, but the former has a clear advantage based on health. Moreover, Bradford’s performance has impressed head coach Mike Zimmer, who heaped praise on the 29-year-old Thursday. “I think, honestly, if you sat back and looked at all the things — being traded, trying to learn a new system, having a new coach, having to learn teammates — all these things that he’s had to deal with. Injuries on offense. I thought he’s done an unbelievable job,” said Zimmer (via Ben Goessling of ESPN.com).

Minnesota paid a high price to acquire Bradford from Philadelphia in early September after Bridgewater suffered a catastrophic knee injury. Now a disappointing 7-8, the Vikings won’t replicate their playoff-bound 2015 campaign under Bridgewater, though Bradford has nonetheless fared respectably despite having little help from his offensive line or running game. With a 71.3 percent completion percentage, the seventh-year man is on track to surpass the single-season record of 71.2. He has also amassed 17 touchdowns against just four interceptions and posted a career-best 98.3 passer rating in 14 starts. Those numbers are somewhat the product of a conservative offense, though, as Bradford ranks last in the league in air yards per attempt (6.24), notes Goessling.

More from the NFC:

  • As a less-than-ideal fit for Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz‘s 4-3 scheme, pass rusher Connor Barwin could end up a cap casualty in the offseason. But the 30-year-old would consider taking a pay cut from $7.75MM to remain with the club, he told Marcus Hayes of Philly.com. “I’m willing to do something,” he said. “So, we’ll see.” Barwin added that he’s “optimistic about the system, and the growth I can have in it from this year to next year.” The fourth-year Eagle has four sacks, his fewest since totaling three in 2012, and has racked up only seven quarterback hurries after accumulating 18 in 2015. Releasing him would save Philadelphia $7.75MM against just $600K in dead money.
  • Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis has no plan to retire, David Newton of ESPN.com tweets, meaning the back-to-back Pro Bowler will return for a 12th season in 2017. Davis has played 93.9 percent of the Panthers’ defensive snaps this year and filled the stat sheet with 15 starts, 104 tackles, three interceptions, 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble. The soon-to-be 34-year-old is set to count $8.25MM against the Panthers’ cap in 2017, the last season of his contract.
  • Left tackle Michael Oher, another integral Panthers cog, is likely to return next year, offensive lineman Trai Turner told Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. “I think he’ll play again,” Turner said Thursday. “He never said or gave me an indication that he wouldn’t.” Oher already shot down retirement rumors earlier this year, but that was before a concussion forced him to injured reserve Nov. 25. The 30-year-old played in a mere three games this season – none past Sept. 25 – and dealt with serious concussion-related problems (sensitivity to light and issues with vision, movement and balance) before going on IR, according to Person.

NFC Notes: Eagles, Linehan, Bradford

December 18th, 2016 at 12:27pm CST by Rory Parks

The Eagles have fallen into a tailspin after an exciting start to the season, and that has led to some speculation as to whether the team will make any major changes this offseason. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, Philadelphia will not make any such changes, which means that head coach Doug Pederson will be back for a second year at the helm. Per Rapoport, the front office knew going into 2016 that the club was at least a year away from being a legitimate playoff contender, and while the Eagles’ 3-0 start helped to hide some of the weaknesses on the roster, the team knew that fixing those weaknesses would not be an overnight process.

Now for more notes from the NFC:

  • Despite Dak Prescott‘s recent struggles, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that things would have to get much worse for the Cowboys to consider switching to Tony Romo. But Rapoport adds that Dallas OC Scott Linehan will be a sought-after head coaching candidate this offseason, and his departure could have a major impact on Prescott moving forward (Twitter link).
  • As the Ezekiel Elliott domestic violence investigation drags on, Tim Rohan of TheMMQB wonders why it’s taking so long, and if the league is just prolonging the process to keep up appearances. Rohan lays out in excellent detail the steps that the league’s investigative team takes in a post-Ray Rice world, and how that process could explain the lengthy delay in the NFL’s issuing a final word on the Cowboys‘ star running back.
  • Su’a Cravens may miss the rest of the season with a biceps injury, but that has not stopped speculation surrounding the young defensive playmaker and how he will fit in with the Redskins moving forward. Thus far, Cravens has worked exclusively as an inside linebacker, but given his strength in the passing game, JP Finlay of CSNMidAtlantic.com believes he may ultimately be better-suited as a safety, especially since the Redskins do not have a long-term answer at strong safety.
  • As Tom Pelissero of USA Today Sports observes, the Vikings have two high-profile players who are due for big roster bonuses in March: Sam Bradford and Adrian Peterson. Per Pelissero, Minnesota plans to bring back Bradford, but as we have heard for a long time, the Vikings will likely not pay Peterson’s $6MM roster bonus and instead will approach him about a pay cut prior to the bonus coming due.
  • We learned earlier today that the Saints could look to trade Sean Payton in the offseason.

NFC Notes: Oher, Vikes, Seahawks, Redskins

November 25th, 2016 at 7:33pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

After landing on injured reserve with a concussion Friday, it’s possible Panthers left tackle Michael Oher has played his final snap, David Newton of ESPN.com suggests. Oher emphatically shot down that notion on Instagram a few weeks ago, however. At the very least, the soon-to-be 31-year-old is done for 2016, having last appeared in a game Sept. 25. Oher is under contract through 2019 on the three-year, $21.6MM extension he signed in June.

More from the NFC:

  • The Vikings’ early September decision to send a first- and fourth-rounder to the Eagles for quarterback Sam Bradford is hard to justify after 11 games, writes Bill Barnwell of ESPN.com. In acquiring Bradford to replace the injured Teddy Bridgewater, the Vikings overestimated the chances of everything else goes right for their offense from a health standpoint, Barnwell argues. Instead, not only has running back Adrian Peterson missed most of the season, but Minnesota’s O-line has also dealt with several injuries. And while Bradford hasn’t played poorly, he also hasn’t made much of a difference during the Vikings’ 6-5 start. Looking ahead to the offseason, it’s possible the Vikings could flip Bradford – who’s under contract for one more year – and either give the reins back to a healthy Bridgewater or acquire someone else (Tony Romo, for instance), Barnwell notes.
  • Redskins tight end Jordan Reed suffered a Grade 3 AC joint separation in his left shoulder in the team’s loss to Dallas on Thanksgiving, per Liz Clarke of The Washington Post (on Twitter). Coach Jay Gruden hopes Reed can play next week against Arizona, but he’s currently day-to-day. If the injury’s severe enough, Reed could deal with pain for up to six weeks, according to Dr. David Chao of Sirius XM (Twitter link). Reed didn’t show any ill effects Thursday, catching a whopping 10 passes for 95 yards and two touchdowns. He leads potentially playoff-bound Washington in receptions (59) and targets (80), and is second on the team in TDs (five).
  • Safety Earl Thomas will miss the Seahawks’ game against the Buccaneers on Sunday because of a hamstring injury, thus ending an iron man streak that dates back to his 2010 entrance into the NFL. The four-time Pro Bowler had appeared in and started 106 straight games prior to this week. In the history of the Seahawks, only former guard John Gray (121) has started more games consecutively, tweets Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Vikings GM On Bradford, Mindset, Draft

October 8th, 2016 at 9:17am CST by Ben Levine

Ordinarily, if a team lost their starting quarterback and star running back, they’d probably throw in the towel. Not general manager Rick Spielman. The executive was aggressive following the season-ending injury to Teddy Bridgewater, sacrificing multiple draft assets to acquire Sam Bradford.

While the deal wasn’t universally embraced, it’s looked good through the first month of the season. The Vikings are currently 4-0, and Bradford has tossed four touchdowns and zero interceptions.

Spielman recently spoke about the Bradford trade with Brian Murphy of TwinCities.com. The whole article is worth checking out, but we compiled some of the notable quotes below:

Rick SpielmanOn whether he’s willing to declare the Bradford trade “a win” for the Vikings:

“We’ve been happy with the progress Sam’s made and how he’s helped the football team, for sure. Hopefully we’ll continue to do what we’re doing and winning games. But there’s no gratification yet until the end of the season.”

On whether the Vikings would have made a similar trade in 2015 or 2014:

“I don’t know if you’re in the first year with a new coach, you’d go through with it. Where we’re at, the players we have right now, by doing that, it gave us the best opportunity to hopefully have a successful season.”

Would the team sacrifice more future assets to fill a glaring hole?

“That’s a unique position and a unique opportunity.

“You have to keep your eye on what your roster’s going to potentially look like next year, and contracts that you have coming up and guys you may have to potentially replace. We’re still going to always build through the draft. You can’t do that without having the draft picks.

“As we deal with injuries — and we’ve dealt with a lot of injuries — it goes to the testament of this coaching staff, the depth that we have behind these guys. Guys that maybe aren’t well known are stepping in and playing well for us at this point.”

Eagles Originally Wanted Second-Rounder For Sam Bradford

October 2nd, 2016 at 3:22pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Eagles surpassed even their own expectations when they dealt quarterback Sam Bradford to the Vikings earlier this year. According to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com, Philadelphia had originally hoped to acquire a second-round pick in exchange for Bradford. But once Minnesota lost Teddy Bridgewater for the year, the Eagles were able to exert enough leverage to extract a first-round pick, as well as a conditional fourth-rounder.Sam Bradford (Vertical)

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Philadelphia and general manager Howie Roseman structured Bradford’s deal with an eye towards potentially trading him during the 2017 offseason, per La Canfora. The Eagles absorbed Bradford’s $11MM signing bonus when they traded him, but the Vikings took on his guaranteed base salaries of $7MM and $4MM in 2016 and 2017, respectively.

Of course, if the Eagles had some inkling that they might trade Bradford during the 2017 offseason, they must have given at least some thought to trading up to acquire a franchise quarterback like Carson Wentz. Bradford was re-signed in early March, and Philadelphia didn’t make the deal to move up to No. 2 overall until late April.

As noted, the Eagles were able to secure a 2017 first-round pick and a conditional 2018 fourth-round pick for Bradford. The fourth-rounder becomes a third-round pick if the Vikings advance to the NFC Championship Game, and a second-round pick if Minnesota wins the Super Bowl.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

North Notes: Vikings, Pettigrew, Browns

September 17th, 2016 at 4:14pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Vikings intend to begin the Sam Bradford era on Sunday night, with the team set to displace Shaun Hill in the starting lineup and plug in the trade acquisition against the Packers, Ben Goessling of ESPN.com reports. A league source informed Goessling Bradford took each of the first-team snaps in practice this week.

Minnesota traded next year’s first-round pick and another selection that could rise to future second-rounder for the former No. 1 overall pick. The 28-year-old Bradford completed a career-best 65% of his passes for the Eagles in 2015, but when separated from Chip Kelly‘s offense, the ex-Heisman Trophy winner has never exceeded the 61% mark.

Hill guided the Vikings to a victory against the Titans but did not produce an offensive touchdown in Minnesota’s 25-16 road win. Bradford’s potential inability to make pre-snap adjustments after such a short time with the team played into Hill receiving the Week 1 nod, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk notes.

Here’s more from the NFC North as Week 2 Sunday nears.

  • Former Vikings scouting director Scott Studwell, who remains with the team in a different capacity after stepping down from that role two years ago, said the team was able to acquire middle linebacker Eric Kendricks in the second round last year due to the second-year player’s smaller stature. “Kendricks went in the second round because he’s 6-foot,” Studwell said, via Patrick Reusse of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. “In a perfect world, you might want a ‘Mike’ a bit bigger with Eric, but with his instincts for the ball, we’re not complaining. He’s a playmaker.” 
  • The Lions currently have Brandon Pettigrew on their PUP list but could opt to move on from the veteran tight end if they like what they see from current backup Cole Wick, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press writes. Pettigrew tore his left ACL last December and reworked his contract due to his PUP standing earlier this month. He’s under contract through 2017 thanks to the four-year, $16MM deal he signed in 2014.
  • A potential Browns–Jimmy Garoppolo union had big support from inside the franchise’s power structure in 2014 before Jimmy Haslam ordered the staff to select Johnny Manziel, Ben Volin of the Boston Globe reports. Volin, who notes the Browns studied the eventual second-round pick intensely, wonders if the new Browns’ brass would consider a Garoppolo trade after Tom Brady‘s suspension ends. The teams play in Week 5 in Cleveland, although the trade deadline doesn’t fall until November 1. A report earlier this week described third-round rookie Cody Kessler as being a ways away from being ready to contribute.
  • The Bengals’ cornerback corps is flush with high draft picks, and the team added another in 2016 third-rounder KeiVarae Russell off waivers from the Chiefs.

Extra Points: Spiller, Vikings, Ajayi, Bynes

September 13th, 2016 at 9:01pm CST by Ben Levine

Former Saints running back C.J. Spiller told ESPN.com’s Josina Anderson that he was surprised by his release earlier today, but he insisted that he was leaving the organization on good terms.

“This organization really believed in me during free agency,” Spiller told Anderson (via Zac Jackson of ProFootballTalk.com). “They gave me another opportunity when my contract was up in Buffalo. I have nothing but good relationships that I have built here. It’s a first class organization that gives the players everything they need to be successful. So, I definitely don’t have any hard feelings.

“Now, I’m just going to wait for the next right opportunity. I still have a lot of football left in me. I’m pretty sure in the ext day or so, me and my agent will start getting in to it.”

Let’s check out some more notes from around the NFL…

  • Following the release of Spiller, the Saints now have $40MM of dead money on their 2016 salary cap, tweets ESPN’s Field Yates. Meanwhile, Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com notes that Spiller’s contract included offset language, so the team “will get credit for the first $1.6 million he earns in 2016 salary elsewhere.”
  • Vikings coach Mike Zimmer acknowledged that quarterback Shaun Hill did well during Sunday’s win over the Titans, but he added (via Vikings.com) that the team is taking the quarterback situation “one week at a time.” It’s uncertain if the coaching staff is leaning towards Hill or Sam Bradford for this weekend’s game against the Packers.
  • After being inactive for the Dolphins‘ first game of the season, running back Jay Ajayi may have an opportunity to redeem himself. Coach Adam Gase said the second-year player is starting with a clean slate heading into the second week of the season. “We’re back to basically [where] he’s back in meetings, he’s back in the building,” Gase said (via ESPN.com’s James Walker). “We left him back. That was my decision and we’ve cleaned that up. We’ll move past that and basically this is a new day for him today.”
  • Linebacker Josh Bynes‘ injury settlement with the Lions is for four weeks, a source tells PFR (Twitter link). As such, Bynes wouldn’t be able to re-sign with Detroit until late October, given that he’s required to sit out for the duration of the settlement plus an additional three weeks. Those stipulations only apply to a potential reunion with the Lions, as Bynes an sign with another club at any time.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

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