Santoliquito: Signing Sam Bradford Is A Major Mistake For Eagles
PHILADELPHIA, PA (CBS) — From a number of reputable accounts, it looks as if the Eagles are going to take the plunge and sign Sam Bradford.
Somewhere from the end of a dreadful 7-9 season until now, Bradford, in some circles, has been elevated into becoming the answer to the Eagles' woes. And somewhere after he got fired, Chip Kelly, though primarily responsible for the current fix this team is in, has been held responsible for everything that's gone wrong. Including trading for Sam Bradford, and losing this year's second-round pick in the process.
Ask yourself two very important questions: One, do the Eagles have any realistic chance to win the Super Bowl in 2016? Two, is Bradford the missing piece to get them there?
You don't really have to be a well-entrenched football expert to know the answer. The eye test bore that out on the field this past season, and what Bradford has done throughout his career.
The fact is, Bradford is a mediocre quarterback and that's all he's ever been during his career. His 25-37-1 record as a starter in the NFL and 36.9-percent winning percentage isn't enough to make anyone quake in their shoes. It may explain why there isn't a deluge of teams banging down the door to get to him.
The most optimistic angle for 2016 projects the Eagles to possibly go 7-9 again, and find themselves forever mired in "Bradfordville," that land of 7-9 and 8-8 where they're picking around No. 13th or 14th in the draft every year.
The stark reality is that the Eagles could finish 5-11 next season, or worse, taking into account a new head coach and a group of players who will be learning a new offensive and defensive system for the third time in the last five years.
The learning curve will undoubtedly consume much of new coach Doug Pederson's mini-camps and training camp. While other teams will be sharpening what they have (though the Giants have a new head coach in Ben McAdoo, it's the same offensive scheme since McAdoo was promoted from within), while the Eagles will be forced to play catch-up on both sides of the ball to every team in the NFC East.
The Redskins return everyone from the NFC East champions and a healthy Tony Romo makes Dallas an instant NFC East favorite (if Romo can stay healthy, which is a big 'if'). The Giants figure to already have one of the more dynamic offenses in the NFC, and Eagles fall far behind because they simply don't know what they have.
Pederson is unproven. Bradford may not provide any more answers.
With or without Bradford, the Eagles will struggle to win 7 games again. With Bradford, they're not going anywhere. Without Bradford, it could take them to where they want to go—grabbing that franchise quarterback and building back up. The Eagles worst finish in the last 20 years led to Donovan McNabb. Complain all you want about D-Mac, he was the most successful quarterback in recent Eagles' history. A tank job in 2016 could produce another game-changing Super Bowl-caliber quarterback in Clemson's Deshaun Watson.
Signing Bradford takes them one step away from where they want to go.
