Troy Aikman: 'Didn't See Enough' From Sam Bradford To Make Franchise QB
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- 94WIP Morning Show host Angelo Cataldi flat-out asked one of the NFL's greatest quarterbacks if he saw enough in Sam Bradford to warrant a long-term investment from the Eagles.
"No. I did not," said Troy Aikman, a former three-time Super Bowl winning quarterback with the Dallas Cowboys, now an NFL on FOX color commentator.
Listen: Troy Aikman on the 94WIP Morning Show
Bradford, 28, threw for a career high 3,725 yards this past season -- his first in Philadelphia after four injury-riddled seasons with the St. Louis Rams. Bradford is set to become a free-agent if the Eagles do not sign or franchise tag him this offseason.
"But I like Sam," Aikman continued. "Obviously he was hurt a lot in St. Louis, you weren't real sure exactly what you were going to get. So in Philadelphia, I thought he came on certainly and played better as he got more and more acclimated to what was happening.
Related: Howard Eskin: Eagles Are 'Not Going To Let Bradford Go'
"It's a lot of money and you've got to have a quarterback to win," Aikman said. "I think that's the decision that they have to make. If it's not Sam Bradford, then who is it? And is the next guy -- is he going to be better? Is he going to give the team the best chance to win? And I think that I've gotta believe that this offense is going to look different with Chip Kelly gone. It'll go more conventional, to what extent? I know in Kansas City they predominantly were a running team under Andy Reid, which shocks a lot of people, I would imagine, in Philadelphia knowing how much he threw it there. But what exactly does Doug Pederson want to do?"
Aikman explained that he's not opposed to the Eagles keeping Bradford, as long as it's not with a long-term, lucrative contract.
"But as far as saying, 'Hey this is our franchise guy.' I'm not saying you don't sign Sam, but to say he's the franchise guy and we're gonna lock him up for a long time and pay him a lot of money," said Aikman, "I didn't see enough to do that."
