Cleveland Browns Should Pass on Sam Bradford

In this new segment, we examine potential starting quarterbacks for the Cleveland Browns. The Browns were once (allegedly) interested in Sam Bradford. That idea should not be revisited.

It’s that magical time of January when any remaining Christmas decorations are set aside until next holiday season, the final four teams contending for a spot in the Super Bowl prepare for conference championship games, and fans of the Cleveland Browns speculate about which quarterbacks will be signed by the club before the summer months roll around.

The Browns, in need of a franchise quarterback seemingly since the day before forever, are no closer to finding the answer today than the team has been at any point since 1999. Josh McCown could be one hit away from deciding that life is too short to keep playing. Austin Davis is not the answer. Johnny Manziel is barely on the roster at this point, and it cannot be said with any certainty that either the Browns or Manziel want that relationship to continue past next month.

Video: #Cleveland #Browns Sashi Brown and Paul DePodesta on Johnny Manziel and the quarterback situation. #CLE https://t.co/87PeCWvRxP
— Dave Andersen (@CLEvideos) January 21, 2016

Anybody who follows the Browns is aware that the club holds the rights to the No. 2 overall pick of the 2016 NFL Draft. Debates have already begun on local sports talk radio stations regarding the college QB the Browns should select with that pick, if only because spending any considerable time on either the Cleveland Cavaliers or Cleveland Indians at this point of the year is just silly.

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The Browns are going to draft a QB in April. Probably. Allegedly. Let’s say, for whatever reason(s), that new Browns head coach Hue Jackson and the new Cleveland brain trust does not believe that any QB is worth the second selection in this year’s draft. Regardless of where Jackson and company go from there, thoroughly examining the potential free agency before March begins would behoove all within the Browns who will be making personnel decisions.

Our search begins with Sam Bradford, who has been through quite the journey since entering the NFL in the spring of 2010. Bradford’s abilities and play that earned him Rookie of the Year honors were surpassed by his inability to remain healthy. Most notably, Bradford tore the same ACL in the fall of 2013 and then during the 2014 preseason. That second injury occurred during a game at FirstEnergy Stadium against the Browns.

Bradford’s career was given an injection of life when offensive guru and Philadelphia Eagles head coach Chip Kelly traded to acquire the former No. 1 overall pick before the 2015 NFL season. Things did not go well right out of the gates. Bradford tossed two interceptions in each of his first two regular season starts, games that the Eagles lost. The Eagles won three of four during the fall, but Bradford was then sidelined after suffering a shoulder injury and a concussion.

In all, Bradford’s numbers were pretty “meh.” He finished the year with 19 touchdown passes and 14 interceptions. Bradford was unreliable in the red zone, and he did not do enough to keep Mark Sanchez — yes, that Mark Sanchez — tied to the bench.

Like the Browns, the Eagles are in a reset mode. Kelly was fired by the team before the end of the regular season. A search that included bringing former New York Giants head coach Tom Coughlin to town ended with the Eagles ~~settling on~~ going with Doug Pederson. Pederson, per ESPN Staff Writer Phil Sheridan, had high praise for Bradford when speaking about the quarterback during his introductory press conference on January 19:

"“I think Sam’s a quality quarterback,” Pederson said Tuesday. “I think he’s a top-notch quarterback. Look what he did that last half of the season, the numbers he was able to put up. As a quarterback, he would fit perfectly with a system that I’m going to bring.”"

So everybody in Philadelphia is on the same page and one big happy family, right? Not exactly. As was explained in a post on The Big Lead earlier this week, ESPN NFL reporter Jim Trotter has reported that Bradford’s agent was hoping to get a contract worth $25 million a year from his client; not $25 million total. $25 million per year.

Ryan Phillips of The Big League on Bradford’s wishes:

"Bradford has his defenders, but he’s never been more than an average quarterback. For his career he has completed 60.1 percent of his passes for of 6.45 yards per attempt, with 78 touchdowns, 52 interceptions and a passer rating of 81.0. There is nothing in that list of stats that even suggests “above average.”Aside from the fact that he’s clearly made of easily breakable china, there is nothing terrible about Bradford, but he’s not anywhere near a top-tier quarterback. His agent should have been begging for a deal at $10-$15 million a year, not shooting for the moon. Now he could be stuck signing a one-year deal somewhere."

There is nothing wrong with a NFL player, particularly a quarterback, wanting to get his. What is noteworthy here is that Bradford already got his. Because of when he was drafted, before a new CBA limited how much money rookie players could make, Bradford was able to put pen to paper on a deal that landed him, per Spotrac, $50 million in guaranteed money and over $78 million in total earnings. It would be an understatement to say that Bradford has never earned that money with his play on the field.

Next: What Should Browns Do With Johnny Manziel?

The possibility exists, of course, that Bradford and/or his camp wanted to try to hold the Eagles for ransom and force Philadelphia to place a franchise tag on Bradford. That would be a significant price to pay for a QB who is, no disrespect meant, worth a fraction of the cost. The harsh truth of the matter is that the Browns should not tie down $25 million of guaranteed money on a player with Bradford’s resume across three seasons, let alone for one.

Things can, of course, change. Perhaps Bradford will see the writing on the wall and realize that 2016 will be about saving his career rather than cashing in on another payday. Unless that happens, though, the Browns even bothering to enter negotiations over Bradford would be a waste of everybody’s energy. Bradford and the Browns are, right now, two entities of two different mindsets.

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