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Sam Bradford

NFC Notes: Bradford, Seahawks, Lions, Rams

May 3rd, 2016 at 11:32am CST by Luke Adams

Tom Condon, the agent for Eagles quarterback Sam Bradford, continues to make a case for a trade on behalf of his client, appearing most recently on Andrew Brandt’s “Business of Sports” podcast. Condon reiterated that Bradford won’t be in attendance when Philadelphia’s voluntary workouts resume, though the podcast was recorded prior to the draft, so it’s not clear if that stance has changed within the last few days.

“I know people say, ‘Why doesn’t he just compete and win the job?'” Condon said, as Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News details. “[But] there is no real competition. [Eagles No. 2 overall pick Carson Wentz] is playing, and that’s all there is to it.”

Although Wentz isn’t expected to start immediately, it would certainly be a surprise if the North Dakota State alum is not atop the Eagles’ depth chart by the start of the 2017 season, or even before then.

Here’s more from across the NFC:

  • Seahawks general manager John Schneider said during an appearance on KJR-AM today that his team prefers not to spread out Marshawn Lynch‘s cap hit over two years. As such, the team figures to place the running back on the reserve/retired list prior to June 1, ensuring that his cap charge only applies to 2016 (Twitter links via Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times).
  • With the draft completed, the Lions have made a couple changes to their personnel department, parting ways with veteran scouts Chad Henry and Darren Anderson, writes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. It’s not uncommon for teams with new general managers – like Detroit with Bob Quinn – to make changes to the scouting department following that new GM’s first draft.
  • Michael Silver of NFL.com took an interesting, in-depth look at how the Rams decided they wanted to make California quarterback Jared Goff their QB of the future.
  • Receiver and return man Devin Hester underwent toe surgery in January and is scheduled to earn $3MM in 2016, making his hold on a roster spot in Atlanta tenuous. Still, as Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com writes, Hester expects to remain with the Falcons and contribute to the team as long as he can make a full recovery.

Sunday Roundup: Kaep, Bradford, Washington

May 1st, 2016 at 12:50pm CST by Rory Parks

Afters weeks of anxious buildup, the 2016 NFL draft is now over, but we’ll still be discussing the fallout from the draft years down the line. Let’s take a look at some of that fallout right now, along with a couple of other notes:

  • The draft has come and gone, and Colin Kaepernick is still a 49er. As Eric Branch of The San Francisco Chronicle writes, the 49ers‘ actions during the draft–i.e. waiting until the sixth round to pick up raw signal-caller Jeff Driskel, instead of drafting a more pro-ready prospect in the early rounds as many pundits anticipated–suggest that one of Kaepernick or Blaine Gabbert will be the team’s starter in 2016. And, since Kaepernick’s most likely suitors drafted quarterbacks of their own, it looks like we can finally put the Kaepernick rumors on ice for a little while.
  • We learned last night that the Eagles have not had any contact with Sam Bradford since Bradford requested a trade, and head coach Doug Pederson–who is installing a new offense that projected backup quarterback Chase Daniel is very familiar with–admitted that Bradford is losing valuable time, as Kevin Patra of NFL.com writes. Philadelphia continues to insist that Bradford is the starter, but that could change if he misses significant offseason time. When Pederson was asked at what point Bradford loses the role of presumptive starter, Pederson said, “I think it depends on when he does come back and how fast we can catch him up and put him in that situation and see where he’s at, at that time.”
  • Washington was widely lauded for its selection of TCU wideout Josh Doctson in the first round of the draft, but, as anticipated, his arrival probably means the end of Andre Roberts‘ tenure in the nation’s capital, as Mike Jones of The Washington Post writes. Likewise, Jones writes that the addition of Virginia Tech corner Kendall Fuller could allow the team to release Chris Culliver, whose health status is still uncertain after his ACL surgery and who is due an $8MM salary–with a $9.25MM cap number–in 2016.
  • During his post-draft press conference Saturday night, Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie declined to tip his hand as to whether the club will pick up D.J. Hayden‘s fifth-year option, but as Jimmy Durkin of The Bay Area News Group points out, the team will almost certainly decline the $8.03MM option, thereby allowing Hayden to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2016 season. Durkin admits it was somewhat surprising that Oakland did not draft a corner over the past couple of days, as the Raiders are still thin at the position even after signing Sean Smith. The Raiders’ approach suggests that they expect Hayden to provide quality depth as a fourth corner, but he will have to prove himself in a big way in 2016 to remain with the club (and to remain in the league, for that matter).
  • Most GMs like to say that they do not reach for need during the draft and that they will select the best player available, regardless of position. As Darin Gantt of Pro Football Talk writes, Panthers GM Dave Gettleman admitted last night that he adapted his strategy to make sure the team could adequately fill out its defensive back depth chart after the Josh Norman saga that ended when Norman signed with Washington. To that end, Carolina drafted three corners–James Bradberry, Daryl Worley, and Zack Sanchez–that looked like reaches to many fans. Gettleman insisted, though, that he did not reach, but he had to focus on corners to prevent a “position disaster.”
  • Greg Auman of The Tampa Bay Times expected the Buccaneers to draft one defensive end and one tackle, and while Tampa Bay did draft a DE (Noah Spence), the team did not grab a DT. As such, Auman expects the club to sign a DT before training camp opens (Twitter link).
  • Former Panthers offensive lineman Edmund Kugbila, whom Carolina selected in the fourth round of the 2013 draft but who has yet to play a single professional snap due to various injuries, has been medically cleared to play and has several visits lined up, according to Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle (via Twitter).

Eagles Notes: Bradford, Cox, Front Office

April 30th, 2016 at 8:52pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Eagles haven’t had any contact with Sam Bradford since the quarterback requested a trade, as head coach Doug Pederson tells Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link). Bradford, of course, asked out Philadelphia when it became clear that the Eagles would be drafting QB Carson Wentz No.2 overall. Even after the Broncos selected Paxton Lynch — a choice that seemingly knocked Denver out the veteran quarterback market — the Eagles still have yet to hear from Bradford, per McLane.

Here’s the latest out of Philadelphia…

  • The Eagles will take a “step back” after the draft before resuming their search for a head of personnel, says de facto GM Howie Roseman (Twitter link via McLane). Philadelphia reportedly halted its search for a personnel chief in Feburary, but did apparently offer the job to former scout and current NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah.
  • Defensive tackle Fletcher Cox is a “huge part” of the Eagles’ future, and the club plans to keep him around for the long haul, says Roseman (Twitter link via the Eagles’ website). Reports two weeks ago indicated that Cox and the Eagles are closing in on a long-term deal that contains more than $52MM in guarantees.
  • Roseman thought the Eagles might be able to address the defensive tackle position in the draft due to the depth of this year’s class, but the board didn’t fall in a way that worked out for Philadelphia, tweets Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

NFC Notes: Cowboys, Bradford, Kaepernick

April 29th, 2016 at 5:29pm CST by Luke Adams

There were indications earlier today that the Cowboys were exploring a possible move up to No. 32, but it doesn’t appear that will happen. The team’s executive VP, Stephen Jones, told reporters, including Todd Archer of ESPN.com, that Dallas isn’t moving up from No. 34 — the club will either stand pat or move down.

Assuming they stay at No. 34, the Cowboys will be targeting a defensive player, tweets Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. According to David Moore of the Dallas Morning News (Twitter link), there are two players left on the team’s board with first-round grades, so perhaps the Cowboys will move down if those two players are selected by the teams ahead of them. Moore adds (via Twitter) that Jones expects the remainder of Dallas’ draft to be heavy on defense, with perhaps a quarterback and an interior offensive lineman mixed in.

Here’s more from around the NFC:

  • Quarterback Sam Bradford has not responded to anyone from the Eagles organization, including the team’s coaches, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter link via 97.5 The Fanatic). The Eagles’ brass has indicated it won’t honor Bradford’s trade request, so the two sides may have to mend some fences at some point.
  • According to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link), the 49ers currently have no plans to release quarterback Colin Kaepernick, whose odds of being traded took a significant hit when Denver drafted Paxton Lynch on Thursday. While San Francisco may prefer not to pay Kaepernick’s full salary, the team appears willing to do so, with no pay cut imminent. Considering the Niners still have $50MM+ in cap room for 2016, they can certainly afford to carry Kaepernick’s contract.
  • The Lions believe that Taylor Decker was one of the most versatile tackles in this year’s class, Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com writes. “We’re going to put him in the mix with the rest of the tackles on the roster and see who the players are at the right position,” GM Bob Quinn said. “We’re not going to pinpoint him now or until we’re ready to play a game, at what position, what side of the ball. He is a tackle, so he’ll either be right tackle or left tackle and that’s really to be determined.”

Zach Links contributed to this post.

West Rumors: 49ers, Davis, Tunsil, Broncos

April 29th, 2016 at 2:55pm CST by Zachary Links

Here’s a look at the West divisions:

  • Anthony Davis’ hammered the 49ers on Twitter this week but general manager Trent Baalke says he’s not losing sleep over what transpired. “There’s no decision to be made,” Baalke said when asked if the team has made a decision about his status (via Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com). “Right now, he’s not in the National Football League. He’s retired. So there’s no reason to even speculate on what we’re going to do or what we might do. “He’s got to be reinstated into the league and that’s a process that takes some time. He doesn’t put in and a day later he’s reinstated. There’s a process that he has to go through.”
  • Baltimore says that the Laremy Tunsil video didn’t affect their draft decision, but 49ers GM Trent Baalke admits that it was a factor. “Well, I think every team is aware of the video,” Baalke said (via Maiocco). “We factor in everything. So whether you get that information late in the process or you get it early in the process, it’s all factored in.” After nabbing a defensive lineman at No. 7, the 49ers could target an offensive tackle with their next pick.
  • Broncos GM John Elway told Peter King of TheMMQB.com that he’s happy about the way his quarterback search turned out. “Do I have any regrets about this whole thing?” Elway said. “No. We’re thrilled to have ended up where we are, with Paxton. If you had said to me, ‘Here are your four options,’ and you named the four we just went through, this is the one we’d take. We think Paxton [Lynch], long-term, is a perfect fit for our offense.” Elway also indicated that he’s comfortable with having Mark Sanchez start the season while Lynch makes his transition to the next level.
  • Elway also told King that the Eagles were asking “way too much” for Sam Bradford when the Broncos reached out to the Eagles.

NFC East Notes: Giants, Apple, Cowboys

April 29th, 2016 at 9:48am CST by Zachary Links

Some saw Eli Apple as a reach at No. 10 for the Giants, but team scouting director Marc Ross does not agree with that assessment.

“We’ve heard it before,” Ross said, according to Steve Serby of the New York Post. “We’ve taken other players that [were called] a reach. Nobody knows. If you get a dime for every expert, I could retire. Come on. Experts? People analyze. People have opinions. What’s it based on? Nobody has seen the tape. Nobody goes to practice. Nobody puts in the work like the scouts do. It’s easy to second-guess and pick and say get everybody’s pick right and tell them what they should do, but you’ve just got to put in the work and trust what you do.”

The Giants were widely linked to Michigan State tackle Jack Conklin and Georgia linebacker Leonard Floyd, but those players came off the board at No. 8 and No. 9, respectively.

Here’s more from the NFC East:

  • The Cowboys had the same draft grade for Ezekiel Elliott and Jalen Ramsey, according to Todd Archer of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
  • The Cowboys regarded Paxton Lynch as the quarterback in the top 3 who required the most time to develop but had higher ceiling than Jared Goff and Carson Wentz, Ed Werder of ESPN.com tweets.
  • When asked if he was surprised by Sam Bradford‘s reaction to the Eagles‘ trading up for Wentz, Eagles GM Howie Roseman said, “Some of this is agent driven,” (On WIP, Twitter link via Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer).

Eagles Will Not Trade Sam Bradford

April 28th, 2016 at 8:18pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Eagles selected Carson Wentz with the No. 2 pick earlier tonight, but he’s not the only quarterback on the Philadelphia roster in the news. Sam Bradford, unhappy with the drafting of Wentz, has requested a trade, but according to Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link), Eagles de facto GM Howie Roseman and head coach Doug Pederson say the club will not honor that request.Sam Bradford

After rumors surfaced last week that Bradford would ask for at trade, news broke Monday that the veteran quarterback had officially requested to be dealt out of Philadelphia. The Broncos reportedly inquired on Bradford, who has not been attending voluntary Eagles workouts, but Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reported earlier today that Denver was moving on, as the Broncos don’t believe that Philadelphia is likely to trade Bradford to any team — that sentiment, it appears, has been borne out.

Bradford agreed to a two-year deal worth $35MM in March that includes $22MM in guarantees. But because of the structure of the contract, any team that acquired Bradford would only be on the hook for his $7MM base salary in 2016, before becoming responsible for his $17MM cap charge in 2017. I explored a few potential fits for Bradford earlier this week, identifying the Broncos, Jets, and Bills as landing spots.

If he isn’t dealt, Bradford is likely to open the 2016 season as the Eagles’ starting quarterback, giving Wentz more time to develop. Of course, while the statement from Philadelphia management sounds official, it’s hard to completely rule out posturing — until Bradford is under center in Week 1, his status with the Eagles figures to be a hot topic.

Broncos Moving On From Sam Bradford

April 28th, 2016 at 8:40am CST by Zachary Links

The Broncos reached out to the Eagles to inquire on Sam Bradford earlier this week, but they will now shift their focus in their quarterback search. Denver does not expect Philadelphia to trade Bradford to the Broncos or to any team, for that matter, according to sources who spoke with Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Sam Bradford

Recently, Bradford requested a trade from the Eagles, but the Eagles refused to give Bradford and his representatives permission to seek a trade. Furthermore, they have been steadfast in saying that Bradford will be their starting QB in 2016. Bradford is reportedly upset with the Eagles following their trade up to the No. 2 pick in the draft with the intent of selecting a quarterback. That deal came just six weeks after the Eagles re-upped Bradford on a lucrative two-year contract and the Eagles apparently did not let him or his agent in on the plan.

Agent Tom Condon and Bradford also feel that the team is not built to win in the immediate future after so many assets were shipped to the Browns.

“It’s his right to demand a trade and he wants to be traded,” Condon said. “Basically, our contention is that the team could have used the draft picks on offensive and defensive players for this season, to win this season. If the plan was to build for the future, where does that leave Sam this year?”

Bradford, acquired a year ago by Chip Kelly‘s Eagles in a trade with the Rams, had his ups and downs in 14 starts for Philadelphia in 2015, but his overall numbers have been solid. The Oklahoma product set new career-highs with a 65.0% completion percentage, and 3,725 yards passing. He also tossed 19 touchdowns and 14 interceptions, leading the club to a 7-7 record in his starts.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

East Notes: Bradford, Jets, Bills, Dolphins

April 27th, 2016 at 8:49am CST by Luke Adams

Before re-signing him, the Eagles didn’t tell Sam Bradford they intended to draft a quarterback high in the first round, agent Tom Condon tells Sal Paolantonio of ESPN.com. And while Bradford is put off by the Eagles’ plan to draft his replacement, the former first overall pick also isn’t thrilled about the fact that the team gave up so many other assets to move up to the No. 2 spot.

“It’s his right to demand a trade and he wants to be traded,” Condon said. “Basically, our contention is that the team could have used the draft picks on offensive and defensive players for this season, to win this season. If the plan was to build for the future, where does that leave Sam this year?”

As we wait to see if anything happens with the Bradford situation this week, let’s check in on several other items from out of the NFL’s East divisions…

  • Within his latest look at the Muhammad Wilkerson saga in New York, Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News notes that the Jets made a “Hail Mary attempt” to move up to the No. 1 pick before Los Angeles nabbed that pick from Tennessee. Mehta suggests that Gang Green would have been targeting Jared Goff if the long-shot trade attempt had worked out.
  • Veteran running back Matt Forte, who signed with the Jets last month, is hoping that the team re-signs quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, as he said during an appearance on CBS Sports Radio (link via Brian Costello of the New York Post). “I’d be disappointed [if I don’t] get to work with him [given that he was here] last year and the good job he did,” Forte said. “But at the same time, you have to prepare yourself for the worst or if that doesn’t happen.”
  • One source tells Tyler Dunne of The Buffalo News (Twitter link) that Bills senior offensive assistant Chris Palmer “loves” quarterback Paxton Lynch. However, it’s very possible the Memphis product will be off the board by the time Buffalo picks at No. 19. On Tuesday, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report reported that the Bills are quite high on the QB.
  • Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald provides a handful of updates from the Dolphins‘ voluntary minicamp, noting within his piece that the team didn’t show any interest in cornerback Josh Norman when his camp was allowed to seek a trade before his franchise tag was rescinded.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Finding A Landing Spot For Sam Bradford

April 26th, 2016 at 9:50pm CST by Dallas Robinson

In the wake of the Eagles making the move to acquire the No. 2 overall pick with an eye towards drafting a franchise quarterback, incumbent starter Sam Bradford has reportedly been voicing his displeasure. “He’s hot,” one source told Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. “Who wouldn’t be? This is Philly saying, ‘We don’t see (you) as long-term answer.’ He’s mad and wants to show everyone who’s best.”’Sam Bradford

Reports began to leak that Bradford might want out of Philadelphia, and yesterday, the news dropped that Bradford – via agent Tom Condon – had officially requested a trade. Bradford reportedly wants to find a team that will commit to him for the long term, but it’s easy to identify with the Eagles’ stance: Bradford agreed to a contract, and it was a only two-year deal at that, meaning Bradford never should have been under any illusion that he was viewed as the long-term answer in Philadelphia.

Still, if another club is looking for an answer at quarterback, Bradford might not be a bad option, especially financially. An acquiring team would only be on the hook for Bradford’s $7MM base salary in 2016, before becoming responsible for his $13MM base salary and $4MM roster bonus in 2017. The Eagles would take on $11M in dead money by trading Bradford in the near future, or, if they wait until after June 1, they’d be hit with $5.5MM in dead money in 2016, and another $5.5MM in 2017.

Philadelphia is reportedly unwilling to consider dealing Bradford at the moment, but that public stance might just be posturing on the Eagles’ part, perhaps in an attempt to drive up the price tag. Let’s take a look at some possible destinations for Bradford if the Eagles do relent…

  • Denver Broncos — Denver is the most logical suitor for Bradford, given that the club has already inquired on his availability. Though there’s been no word on exactly what the Eagles were seeking in exchange, the Broncos reportedly found the asking price too exorbitant. That’s not to say a trade couldn’t eventually be worked out, especially given that Bradford makes a lot of sense for Denver from a financial perspective. General manager John Elway & Co. reportedly want fellow trade target Colin Kaepernick to agree to a $7MM base salary to facilitate a trade to Denver, while Bradford, as noted, is already locked into a $7MM salary for 2016.
  • Buffalo Bills – General manager Doug Whaley and the rest of the Bills’ front office has seemed oddly non-committal towards incumbent starter Tyrod Taylor, especially considering how well the 2015 free agent signee played last season. Buffalo has taken visits with some of the draft’s top quarterbacks, and was originally thought to be linked to Bradford last year (though those reports were later disputed). If the Bills aren’t sold on Taylor, it’s possible that Bradford could appeal to them if they consider 2016 a must-win season. This is entirely speculation, but since the Broncos coveted Taylor last offseason, and already inquired on him earlier this month, might a three-team trade sending Taylor to Denver, Bradford to Buffalo, and draft picks to Philadelphia work for everyone?
  • San Francisco 49ers — Chip Kelly has a familiarity with Bradford, having traded for him last year as head coach of the Eagles. Bradford would immediately start in San Francisco, especially if the 49ers are able to ship Kaepernick to Denver. One issue, however, might be the difficulty of Kelly and GM Trent Baalke negotiating a deal with Philadelphia — as Mike Klis of 9NEWS noted this week, Eagles de facto GM Howie Roseman likely has no interest in helping out Kelly, given the pair’s troubled work history. It’s also not clear whether Bradford would want to reunite with his old head coach.
  • Cleveland Browns — Having been involved in the Bradford sweepstakes a year ago, might the Browns have interest again this time around? It’s doubtful, but not because Cleveland doesn’t need a quarterback. The Browns are embarking on a full rebuild with an eye towards the future, and Bradford seems to be a better fit for a win-now club. Rolling with Robert Griffin III and a draft pick seems to be the far likelier scenario for Cleveland.

If Bradford continues to sit out Eagles workouts, he could quickly present a distraction that the Eagles front office would seek to mitigate. As such, it wouldn’t be completely shocking if Bradford is dealt during the upcoming draft weekend. If not, his presence on the Eagles’ roster is certain to remain a key NFL storyline in the coming weeks and months.

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