Quarterback Sam Bradford got the trade he lobbied for. It’s also a bit odd that the team gave up a first to rent him for his two-year contract. The price for Bradford wasn’t cheap, however, as the Vikings sent next year’s first and fourth round draft picks to Philly in order to bring the veteran to Minnesota.
Advertisement
One question before we review the happenings: Why didn’t the Dallas Cowboys try to trade for Sam Bradford?
That contractual flexibility is critical for the Vikings, who won’t know the full extent of the damage to Bridgewater’s left knee until he undergoes surgery later this month.
Barring an unexpected medical setback, Wentz should start this upcoming Sunday against the Cleveland Browns, the team’s first game of the season. A former 2010 No. 1 overall pick, Bradford was acquired from the St. Louis Rams by Chip Kelly previous year. He is signed through 2017, which was a major reason for Minnesota’s interest. This stage of the season, a quarterback is hard to find. “I think he knows me really well as a player and as a quarterback, what I like”.
The Eagles were 7-9 last season and would’ve been in rebuilding mode in a division other than the weak NFC East. Bradford, who complained about not being a long-term starter in Philly when they drafted Carson Wentz, won’t be one in Minnesota, either.
Wentz missed the final three preseason games after being injured in the first one.
“We did not mortgage the future in my mind”, Spielman said after the trade, pointing out that the Vikings still have eight 2017 draft picks.
The next sensible move they need to make is turn the thing over to Wentz now, whether he’s better equipped to win games that Chase Daniel or not.
“This was not part of the blueprint, but we have to take advantage of opportunities that are presented to us”, Eagles personnel boss Howie Roseman said.
Before Thursday night’s preseason finale, Spielman insisted the Vikings were not desperate and said they would not make a move that would “hurt us going into the future”. His 3,725 yards passing in 14 games was the fourth-most in Eagles history, thriving down the stretch in coach Chip Kelly’s fast-paced scheme.
General manager John Elway acquired Sanchez from the Philadelphia Eagles after Peyton Manning retired in March and Brock Osweiler bolted to Houston in free agency two days later.
Bradford said the first he heard about potentially being traded was when Eagles coach Doug Pederson called him after the deal had already been finalized. Shurmur was the offensive coordinator when Bradford won Rookie of the Year in 2010.
With the Vikings boasting a stout defense and a variety of weapons at the skill positions, Spielman made the move to acquire Bradford and boost his team.
“If there’s a good thing about learning a new offense every year, it’s that I’m familiar with this process and how it goes I guess”, Bradford said. Ignoring system and playbook fit for a second, Bradford, when healthy, is probably a better quarterback right now than Bridgewater at this point of his career. Bradford is not the fan favorite that Teddy Bridgewater is, but this gives the organization renewed life heading into the 2016 season, as Marc Sessler wrote in his column.
I mean, honestly.if you think the reaction to the Bradford trade is bad with the Vikings giving up a #1 in 2017 and a #4 in 2018, imagine what it would be if the Vikings have given up a #1 and Everson Griffen (or, lord help us, Barr or Smith) and gotten a return of Mike freaking Glennon.or worse.
Advertisement
Hill will likely start the opener on September 11 at Tennessee, though.
