Sam Bradford Wise to Return to Philadelphia Eagles

Quarterback Sam Bradford has apparently seen the writing on the wall and realized that he needs the Philadelphia Eagles.

It is easy to understand why Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Sam Bradford has been less than pleased this spring.

Yes, Bradford has literally millions of reasons to feel secure. Bradford has, per Spotrac, earned over $78 million off of just his National Football League contracts since entering the league back in 2010. The former first-overall NFL Draft pick recently put pen to paper on a deal that will earn him at least $22 million in additional income. Bradford could certainly be doing worse for himself.

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Money is clearly not all that matters to Bradford. Bradford, who will be 29-years-old by the end of the year, could have retired, ridden off into the sunset and chuckled to himself while he examined his bank accounts and his financial standing. That is not what happened, though, as Bradford has reported to the Eagles and is, as of May 9, ready to get to work.

Bradford’s unhappiness has been caused by the fact that he has to share a QB room with Carson Wentz. The Eagles did not just select Wentz in the 2016 NFL Draft. Philadelphia mortgaged the team’s future to trade with the Cleveland Browns and move up in the draft order to grab Wentz. In doing so, the Eagles unofficially announced that Wentz and not Bradfrod is the club’s QB of the future. The situation with the Eagles leaves Bradford, who is still trying to cement himself as a franchise quarterback in the NFL, somewhat in limbo.

With all of that said, Bradford was wise to hush the talk coming from his camp and make a return to the Eagles.

Wentz has not yet thrown a meaningful pass as a NFL player. While recent prospects such as Blake Bortles, Teddy Bridgewater, Derek Carr and Jameis Winston proved that they were able to play during their rookie seasons, history suggests that the Eagles would be wise to sit Wentz for at least a portion of the 2016 campaign while he learns how to be a pro quarterback as a backup to Bradford.

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Maybe Wentz will, in time, show this fall that he is the real deal and is already ahead of Bradford. Perhaps Wentz is a project who will require some seasoning and an entire year in the league before he is prepared to lead a NFL offense into battle. Whatever happens, Bradford (allegedly) demanding a trade and/or (allegedly) threatening to retire rather than compete with Wentz was, to put it directly, downright ridiculous.

The harsh truth of the matter for Bradford is that he is out of options as of the second week of May. Philadelphia really traded with the Browns and then drafted Wentz. It happened. Nothing Bradford says, does or contemplates doing changes that. Bradford now must impress Doug Pederson, the Philadelphia head coach who never drafted or completed any transaction to acquire Bradford.

No other NFL team is coming calling for Bradford. That was made clear during the week leading up to the NFL Draft. There are plenty of franchises who could use the services of a player such as Bradford, and yet no front office was enamored to the point that it made a deal with the Eagles to obtain the disgruntled Bradford and put an end to any possible controversy in Philadelphia.

By refusing to kiss and make-up with the Eagles, Bradford would essentially be a ship without a port. The Cleveland Browns already have a quarterback room that is filled to capacity. Todd Bowles and the New York Jets need to suck it up, sign Ryan Fitzpatrick and move onto preparing for 2016. The Los Angeles Rams, Denver Broncos and Houston Texans all acquired quarterbacks who aren’t Bradford.

A lot can and, of course, will change in the NFL between now and September. There will be injuries. Others will fail to impress teams. Odds are that Bradford will be able to revisit his options during the summer months and before the end of the preseason that will take place in August.

Holding out and demanding a trade this spring was not, however, doing Bradford any favors.

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Imagine the reactions of head coaches and front offices around the NFL upon learning that Bradford was throwing a tantrum and demanding that the Eagles trade him rather than have him compete with Wentz. “Wait, a quarterback who is more known for being injured as a pro than for throwing touchdowns who was just guaranteed over $20 million does not want to show that he can out-perform a rookie in training camp sessions? We have to go and get that guy as soon as possible!”

Clearly, such a mindset did not exist in any NFL city.

Are Bradford and the Eagles headed toward a divorce? Probably, but it behooves both sides to continue on living through a loveless marriage for the same reason many couples do; for the kids, Wentz in this specific instance. Rushing Wentz into the starting lineup would not do the Eagles or the young QB any good. Bradford may not be keen on playing the mentor role at this portion of his life. The least that Bradford can do is be the bridge QB that the Eagles need him to be for at least the next several months.

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The next time that Bradford is feeling under-appreciated by the Eagles and underwhelmed with where he stands with the club, he should call his accountant and remember the contract the Eagles awarded him this past March.