When the Philadelphia Eagles made a trade effectively changing starting quarterbacks from Nick Foles to Sam Bradford, it was considered a risky move. Head coach Chip Kelly is a man of mystery and major risk as this move came off as no surprise to those that know he’s putting together one heck of a master plan. If Bradford proves he can get the job done and play like he did before dealing with his second ACL injury, it’ll absolutely be a brilliant move. If not, then it’s back to the drawing board at quarterback for the Eagles. Was Bradford truly worth the risk?
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ACL injuries are pretty serious, especially in the case of Bradford who tore his ACL on each of his legs and is hoping he can play effectively without missing any playing time this upcoming season. It won’t be easy, but so far he’s on schedule to participate fully in training camp and prove he’s more than ready to be the starting option for the Eagles.
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Bradford was definitely worth the risk since he fits the kind of fast-paced system the Eagles will continue to deploy. The Eagles’ offense hit the NFL by storm as defenses couldn’t keep up with how fast of an offense it was as it was something to behold.
It’s the kind of offensive system that requires a fast-paced quarterback to hit key receiving options and keep those chains moving ferociously. Bradford adds a nice dimension to the Eagles’ offense in that if he can stay healthy, he could really surprise many in 2015.
In an article written by ESPN’s Phil Sheridan, here is what Kelly had to say about the possible future health of Bradford:
"“Everybody gets hurt in this game,” Kelly said. “I don’t know any quarterback that hasn’t missed time. … Our research in terms of dealing with guys with two ACLs, there’s a 10 to 12 percent chance of re-injury. That’s an 88 to 90 percent chance that they’re going to be successful.”"
There is a ton of optimism in the air that if Bradford can find his niche with the Eagles and prove that he can put up the kind of numbers he did back in 2013 before his injury, the Eagles might have found the final piece that puts everything together. Before getting hurt that year on the St. Louis Rams, in just 7 games he contributed 1,687 yards on 159 completions for 14 touchdowns and just 4 interceptions.
Jun 17, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Sam Bradford (7) walks onto the field during minicamp at The NovaCare Complex. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Keep in mind in that very same year, he had career-highs in completion percentage at 60.7% and passer rating at 90.9%. He’s been looking sharp so far this off season during mini-camp and all signs are pointing that he’s confident in himself and the Eagles to deliver some big results in 2015.
Overall, the Eagles were smart to bring Bradford into the mix with his solid skill-set. He has very good accuracy and tends to do very well in the pocket when pressured. We won’t know if this big risk by the Eagles is worth it at this point in time but if Bradford picks up exactly where he left off, the Eagles could surprise many based on everything he brings to the table.
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