Recent Forum Topics › Forums › The Rams Huddle › the Philly/Bradford side of the trade story
- This topic has 23 replies, 7 voices, and was last updated 9 years, 3 months ago by
zn.
-
AuthorPosts
-
March 12, 2015 at 12:59 am #20625
znModeratorJaworski, Arians high on Eagles’ Bradford
Zach Berman, Philly.com
http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/eagles/20150315_Jaworski__Arians_high_on_Eagles__Bradford.html
Most evaluations of the Eagles’ new quarterback come with a two-word caveat that seems attached to Sam Bradford’s name: if healthy. The qualifier shows both the risk the Eagles absorbed in Tuesday’s trade and the potential reward that could come their way.
“When I put the question mark on him, that’s it,” said former Eagles quarterback Ron Jaworski, an ESPN analyst. “I don’t question his talent, his ability, his cerebral ability to lead a football team and run an offense. But he’s got to stay healthy.”
The Eagles acquired Bradford and a 2015 fifth-round pick for quarterback Nick Foles, a 2016 second-round pick, and a 2015 fourth-round pick. The premium price demonstrated the Eagles’ doggedness to acquire Bradford and perhaps an aggressive market for his services.
That aggressiveness might seem misplaced for a five-year veteran who has won only 18 of his 49 starts and has missed most of the last two seasons with two tears to the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.
Then again, there’s also the appeal of his talent. Just five springs ago, Bradford was the unquestioned No. 1 pick despite missing most of his final season at Oklahoma. He was so prolific in his sophomore season with the Sooners, throwing 50 touchdown passes and eight interceptions, that he won the Heisman Trophy over Colt McCoy and Tim Tebow with more than 62 percent of the votes.
When Jaworski and Arizona Cardinals coach Bruce Arians were asked before Friday’s Maxwell Football Club awards about their evaluations of Bradford coming out of college, they had the same response: “Loved him.”
“I had him as one of the highest-rated quarterbacks I’ve ever done,” Arians said.
What has come after has shown reason for both excitement and concern.
Bradford validated the evaluations when he won the rookie-of-the-year award and helped the Rams improve from 1-15 to 7-9. Offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur left in 2011 to become head coach of the Cleveland Browns, and Bradford’s production declined while he was limited to 10 games because of a high-ankle sprain. He improved in 2012 and part of 2013 before the knee injuries stalled his career.
Bradford’s overall statistics are inferior to those of Foles, but the Eagles also considered environmental factors. Bradford played in three offensive systems over four years and only once had a Pro Bowl player on his offense. His most productive receiver was Brandon Gibson.
“The only time we lost to the Rams, Sam was playing,” said Arians, 21-11 in two years as the Cardinals coach. “I think he’s a great fit [in Philadelphia]. He’s very, very comfortable in the shotgun. He’s more than ready to bounce back. He’s just had bad luck.”
Bradford is encouraged about the possibilities in coach Chip Kelly’s offense, which also has concepts brought in by Shurmur. The way he discussed those possibilities sounded similar to Mark Sanchez’s initial impressions last season, and Sanchez had the best passer rating of his career playing for Kelly.
“The way they set up progressions, the way the ball gets out of your hands, the way they deal with protections, the run game,” Bradford said. “From what I’ve seen, it looks like everything goes through the quarterback – what do you like, how do you see things? And then they’re going to tailor it from there. They’re never going to put you back there where you have nowhere to go with the football, and then you’re standing back there holding onto it for five seconds.”
After Tuesday’s trade, Jaworski retreated to his office and watched game film from Bradford’s 2013 season, the last time Bradford played. Through Week 7, when he was injured, Bradford was having the best season of his career – 14 touchdown passes against four interceptions, a 60.7 completion percentage, and a 90.9 quarterback rating.
“When his game is on, he’s got really good movement,” Jaworski said. “That functional pocket mobility you have to have, his arm strength is unquestioned.”
Yet there were too many times Jaworski saw Bradford on the turf.
“I’ve got to be honest with you, too: He got beat up,” Jaworski said. “And that always concerns me with guys. . . . When you’re getting hit physically, it affects you mentally. I want to see how he’s able to [respond]. I thought in that ’13 season, he was better than before. He just looked a lot more comfortable. He was playing good.”
That’s what the Eagles seem to be hoping for if they start Bradford after he recovers from knee surgery. Kelly insisted that the only reason Bradford became available was the injury, and the Eagles are buying low on a 27-year-old who was a decorated prospect coming out of college. The risk is the caveat attached to Bradford’s name.
“If Sam is healthy,” Jaworski said, “this will be a great move by the Eagles.”
..
March 12, 2015 at 12:59 am #20155znModeratorFresh start in Philly: Bradford not looking back
By Jim Thomas
As quickly as you can say ”traded to Philadelphia,” Sam Bradford is moving on. The Eagles’ new quarterback had nary a discouraging word for his former employees — the Rams — during an introductory news conference Wednesday afternoon in the City of Brotherly Love.
“I’m not gonna sit here and make excuses for the way things are,” Bradford told reporters gathered at the Eagles’ facility. “I’m just excited to be here. I look at the opportunity — I think it’s a great one.
“I’m looking forward to the fresh start, and I can’t wait to get back up here and just spend time with coach (Chip) Kelly and to really dive into this offense.”
When asked about the woes in St. Louis, where the Rams haven’t had a winning season since 2003, Bradford said: “I’m not really sure how to answer that. I think the key to any successful organization is stability, regardless of whether that’s professional sports, business, whatever that is. And that’s something that we just didn’t have a lot of in St. Louis. But I think there’s a lot of other reasons that things have gone the way they have.”
He didn’t elaborate. Bradford said he had no regrets about his injury-plagued five seasons with the Rams, but like many players would’ve liked to have started and finished his career in the same place.
“I think any player, when you come into this league, everyone has the dream of playing 12, 15 years — whatever it is — with the club that brought you into the league,” he said.
“But if it’s not in St. Louis, I think this is the one place a quarterback would want to be. This is where I want to be, I’m an Eagle, and I can’t wait to start this journey.”
Instead of characterizing Tuesday’s trade for fellow quarterback Nick Foles as a matter of the Rams giving up on him, Bradford said he looked at it as a case of the Eagles wanting him.
(Wanting him badly enough to give up Foles, a fourth-round pick this year, and a second-round pick in 2016. The Eagles get Bradford and a 2015 fifth-round pick from the Rams. Philly could get an additional third- or fourth-round pick from St. Louis in 2016 depending on Bradford’s health and playing time this coming season.)
“I think what happened kinda is the Eagles wanted me, they pursued me, and they got me in this building,” Bradford said. “I’m happy to be an Eagle and I’m ready to get to work.’
Bradford said he first realized a trade might be a possibility three or four weeks ago, or just around the time of the NFL Scouting Combine. It was there that Rams coach Jeff Fisher called trade rumors involving Bradford “inaccurate.”
Fisher also said then: “We’ve talked about what our plans are. … We’re counting on (Bradford). I’m betting on him.”
It appeared that a tipping point might have been the Rams’ insistence that Bradford take a pay cut. And the refusal by Bradford and agent Tom Condon to do so.
At that point if you’re Bradford, why take a pay cut and risk the possibility of still getting traded? Bradford wanted to stay in St. Louis, and in theory by agreeing to a pay cut it might have made him easier to trade.
In a separate media session Wednesday, Kelly made it very clear how much he wanted Bradford.
“I think he’s got an outstanding skill-set,” Kelly told Philadelphia reporters. “He’s a big, tall, strong, physical quarterback. … He’s smart. He’s intelligent. He’s one of the most accurate throwers when you see him throw the football. I think he’s wired right.
“We got some inside information, because Pat Shurmur had the opportunity to coach the kid for a year. So he knows what he’s like in the meeting room. He knows what he’s like on a daily basis. He knows the consistency that comes with him. He understands his work ethic.”
Shurmur, the Eagles’ offensive coordinator, had the same position with the Rams in 2010 when Bradford was named the NFL’s offensive rookie of the year.
“When Pat was in St. Louis we had a great relationship,” Bradford said. “It was great to see him here (Wednesday). You know I look forward to continuing that relationship with Pat.”
Kelly said the Eagles did their due diligence in terms of Bradford’s injury history, which include a pair of season-ending knee injuries in 2013 and 2014, and came away convinced that pursuing Bradford was worth the risk.
“There were times when we didn’t think there was ever gonna be anything done at all (as far as the trade),” Kelly said. “But we wouldn’t have traded for him if we didn’t think he had a tremendous upside at quarterback.’
Kelly then volunteered: “I was offered a first-round pick for him this morning. From another team.”
Maybe that unnamed teams should’ve been the squad the Rams talked to about trading Bradford.
Except for prepared statements from Fisher and owner Stan Kroenke (who hasn’t actually talked to the St. Louis media in more than three years), the Rams have yet to comment on the Bradford trade.
That should change Friday, at least in terms of Fisher, when the Rams have scheduled an 11 a.m. introductory news conference for Foles.
RAM-BLINGS
The Rams’ re-signing of tight end Lance Kendricks is official. His four-year, $18.5 million contract includes $6.5 million of guaranteed money. Up to $10 million total can be guaranteed as the contract progresses.
• The trade for Houston quarterback Case Keenum, a player the Rams’ cut last season, also has been finalized. The Rams give Houston a seventh-round draft pick in 2016.
• The Rams are getting closer to re-signing wide receiver Kenny Britt, but as of Wednesday night there was no deal.
March 16, 2015 at 9:53 am #20717znModeratorFrom Peter King:
http://mmqb.si.com/2015/03/16/sam-bradford-chip-kelly-jimmy-johnson-eagles-nfl/print/
Now for the craziest facet of the zany week we’ve just seen. Jimmy Johnson, who quietly has become a good sounding board for Philadelphia coach/franchise czar Chip Kelly, knows that when he watches Kelly operate he’s looking at an offensive version of himself from a quarter-century ago. And new Eagles quarterback Sam Bradford, who flies from his home in Oklahoma to Philadelphia this morning to get on a new rehab track for his left ACL injury, still needs to be pinched. Bitterness-free, Bradford can’t believe his good fortune.
My one point, apropos of nothing, that was cool from the conversation with Bradford: The same afternoon he got the news he’d been traded from St. Louis to Philadelphia, he texted his old college roommate from Oklahoma, DeMarco Murray, and the following exchange occurred (from Bradford’s memory Sunday night):
Bradford: “Just got traded to the Eagles. Come to Philly!”
Murray: “Yeah, we’re talking to them now.”
Bradford: “Don’t mess with me. Really?”
Murray: “Dead serious. Talking to them right now.”The rest, of course, is angry Cowboy history.
* * *
Jimmy Johnson has advised Chip Kelly, and the new quarterback likes it.A little history here: When Jimmy Johnson took over the Cowboys a quarter-century ago, he was Chip Kelly. College coach with a satchel of ideas he would bring to the big leagues—a small and fast defense, a willingness to trade in a league that hated trading (Dallas made 55 trades in his tenure), hubris, believing that what won in college could win in the NFL, and being married to no individual player or coach. It worked. Dallas won three Super Bowls, two with Johnson as coach and then one with Barry Switzer coaching Johnson’s players.
So here comes Kelly, with his own ideas the way Johnson had them. Big on sports science; running more plays than anyone in the league; a willingness to deal in a league warming to the idea of building through trades; hubris; believing that was won in college could win in the NFL; and being married to no one.
“You can’t be afraid to make moves. Chip’s not. So some of it is similar,” says Jimmy Johnson. “But there is one big difference: We were the worst team in the league, and people were ready for a big change.”
“Does Kelly remind you of you, 25 years ago?” I asked Johnson the other day.
“Well, in some ways,” Johnson said. “I really like what I have seen out of Chip Kelly. Chip called me and we visited a couple times, and what I heard from him, I liked. No one can say from the outside—right moves, wrong moves. You gotta let ’em play out. You won’t know until you see the results. I felt I was right when I did the things I did, but who knew? I traded away my starting quarterback, Steve Pelluer, to Kansas City. The leading receiver, I don’t remember his name [it was Ray Alexander] we got rid of. I talked to Danny White, and he retired. Then I traded Herschel Walker. You can’t be afraid to make moves. Chip’s not. So some of it is similar. But there is one big difference: We were the worst team in the league two years in a row [1988, 1989]. People were ready for a big change.
“The similarities? We’re both confident, both competent, both know how to win. We talked after he got the new responsibilities this year. I just said, ‘Go with people you believe in, and go with players who fit your personality and fit your system.’ I have talked to Bill Belichick about this too. Certain players are going to be successful in his system and not in others.”
The most controversial trade of them all last week was Bradford and a fourth-round pick to Philadelphia for Nick Foles and a second-round pick. Bradford’s played seven games in the past two years. He’s had two ACL tears to the same knee. By the time this season kicks off, he will have not played in a regular-season game for 22 months. That concerns most everyone who loves the Eagles. It also concerns Johnson.
“Well, with Bradford, the biggest concern I have, and the thing that concerned me with some players that I got burned on, is the injury factor. I remember I traded for [former University of Miami running back] Alonzo Highsmith, because I had great memories, and I did it against my doctor’s recommendations, and he wasn’t the same. So that’s my biggest concern, the health. I love Bradford, but is he gonna be on the field? But if he plays, I like him. Foles, his accuracy was a question. Bradford’s better at that, and it’s not even a questions if he’s healthy. I think Chip looked at Foles as not his guy.”
I asked Johnson if he got a sense in his talks with Kelly that he was going to be active in remaking his roster this off-season.
“Oh yeah,” Johnson said. “The last conversation was over an hour, going over everything. He was loading his guns.”
The Eagles won 10 games in Kelly’s first year, 2013. They won 10 games in his second year, 2014. And have zero playoff wins in his two seasons.
Not good enough.
So you’re Chip Kelly, and you look at the quarterback landscape, and this is what you see:
The quarterback you want, Marcus Mariota, going somewhere in the top five or six picks of the 2015 draft, and you’re picking 20th, and you know it’ll obliterate two drafts to have a chance to move up to get him.
Nick Foles, who had a very hot streak in 2013, but just isn’t accurate enough downfield for your taste.
A bunch of schmoes in free agency.
One interesting, but flawed, prospect: Sam Bradford, the first pick in the 2010 draft, who’d played for an offensively challenged team in St. Louis—and played but seven games in the past two seasons because he tore his left ACL in two straight seasons. Bradford was intriguing because he’d operated a fast-paced spread scheme at Oklahoma, and Kelly was playing a fast-paced spread scheme with the Eagles (though with some significant differences).“From afar, it looks like a blast to play in the offense,” Bradford says. “I feel it’s similar to what I did at Oklahoma—playing fast, putting pressure on the D.”
Bradford told Philadelphia media last week he knew this trade had been in the works for three or four weeks. Bradford is polite and accommodating, almost to a fault. He says the right things the right way. But when we spoke Sunday night, he was almost giddy.
“Usually,” Bradford said from his home in Oklahoma City, “when you get to go to a new team, you’re going somewhere that’s rebuilding, or somewhere starting over. How often do you get to a team that’s won 10 games the last two years?
“From afar, it looks like a blast to play in the offense. I love the tempo, the mindset. They’re trying to score points every time they snap the ball. Very quarterback-friendly. The ball’s getting out quick, always places to go with the ball. If you’re getting heated up, there’s a place to go with it, always. Constantly putting pressure on the defense. I wish I had more knowledge of the offense to go into depth there. They’ve been top five in offense in both of his years there, and you don’t do that without creating a lot of explosive plays. It almost seems like they go short, short, short, almost lull you to sleep and then they’ll blow one by you. I feel it’s similar to what I did at Oklahoma—playing fast, putting pressure on the D.”
The MMQB Roundtable
The NFL is still reverberating from the frantic series of signings, trades and retirements that marked the official opening of the league year. Our staffers debate the reasons, look at who’s done well (Raiders!) and project what’s still to come
FULL STORY
Bradford flies from Oklahoma to Philadelphia today to start his second act. It’s a strange situation in this way: He tore his ACL in mid-season 2013 and went into rehab led by Reggie Scott, the Rams’ trainer. After tearing the same ACL again last August in a preseason game, he went back to work with Scott to rehab it all over again. And last Tuesday, after a rehab session with Scott at the Rams’ facility in suburban St. Louis, Bradford was told by coach Jeff Fisher that he’d been traded. Bradford was in his car going home when Kelly called to welcome him to the Eagles. They’d never spoken before. Bradford didn’t have a chance—and still hasn’t had one—to thank Scott for all the work he did with him for two years.Now Bradford will be in the hands of new trainers and doctors. Nothing wrong with that, of course, but now he’ll be out of his comfort zone more in terms of rehab than he is with football.
As for that “injury-prone” label …
“I don’t think you let it bother you,” Bradford said. “The past two injuries, I don’t think I’ve done anything wrong. I just think I’ve been unlucky. It just happened. You can’t say now, ‘I just want to make it through the year healthy.’ The more you think about it, the more danger you’re in for it happen again. You’ve just go to play, and that’s what I am going to do.”
Bradford is convinced his knee “is going to be as strong as it ever was,” and he believes the leg will be back to normal by the time the season begins. “I do. I do. I really do,” he said. “Last year, I was as strong as I’ve ever been. By the time I’m cleared and I’m ready to go, when I’m cleared, I will be back to where I was.
“I think I will be as good as I have ever been playing the position. And playing for Chip excites me. I love being challenged. I want to soak up all of it.’’
* * *
The more Johnson spoke, the more he was buying stock in Kelly futures.
“I am a fan of Chip Kelly,” said Johnson, “and I will be a fan of Chip Kelly’s until he proves me wrong. I love his offense, I love his style, I love the nutrition stuff, love his practice schedule, love how he turns over the roster.”
It’s not a honeymoon in every precinct. Philadelphia’s doubting Kelly right now, and there’s still an outside chance he could shock the world and pick Mariota to be his guy at quarterback, should Mariota go tumbling down the draft board. But with the first game six months away, there will be plenty of time for apoplexy. Let’s enjoy one man gambling his future on a quarterback with a wounded knee.
March 16, 2015 at 2:52 pm #20747
HerzogParticipantThat’s the perfect word for Chip Kelly: Hubris. I see many differences in JJ and Chip.
Kelly’s health and science program didn’t do much to prevent Vick and Foles from getting hurt. It can’t control what happens on the field.
Jaworsky absolutely LOvED Foles in 2013. Said he had great vision and was light years ahead of his age. In 2014….. Not so much.
March 17, 2015 at 7:31 pm #20805znModeratorEagle Eye: Why Sam Bradford Will Thrive
By Fran Duffy
Anytime there is a change of the guard at the quarterback position, it’s going to be met with a ton of attention. A wide-ranging spectrum of emotions will flow from the team, fans and media, whether it be excitement, anxiety or even scrutiny. “Franchise quarterbacks” do not grow on trees. They are rarely available to be had in the prime of their careers.
In the case of Sam Bradford, whose career with the St. Louis Rams was largely affected by injuries and the fact that he played under four different offensive coordinators in five seasons (Pat Shurmur, Josh McDaniels, Brian Schottenheimer and newly hired Frank Cignetti), the Eagles are getting a quarterback with what Chip Kelly called a “tremendous skill set” and the pedigree to be a team’s signal caller moving forward.
Is there a risk? Sure. But this is a move that can take this offense to the next level – a high-upside quarterback with a talent base that this coaching staff will look to take advantage of in 2015. What lead to the decision to trade for Bradford? What does the staff see in the former No. 1 overall pick? Let’s go to the tape and see how Bradford looks in four of the most important factors in NFL quarterback play: decision-making, accuracy, pocket mobility and arm strength. Do these four factors make up everything in a successful NFL signal caller? Far from it. But these at least give you a glimpse of what Bradford brings to the table as the Eagles’ new starting quarterback.
======
follow the link…lots more, with gifs of plays and analysis of them
March 21, 2015 at 12:05 am #21160
joemadParticipantURL = http://www.phillymag.com/birds247/2015/03/19/all-22-what-to-expect-from-sam-bradford/?all=1
Before Sam Bradford had fielded the first question, he smiled, looked around and offered up an observation.
“It’s already more people than in St. Louis,” he said to a roomful of reporters at the NovaCare Complex.
When a quarterback is taken with the No. 1 overall pick, the expectation is that he’ll make it to the second contract with the team that drafted him. But that expectation does not always become reality. Bradford started 49 games in five seasons with the Rams. He’s been on the field for just seven games in the past two seasons, and the last time Bradford took a meaningful snap was 17 months ago.
But two ACL injuries did not dissuade Chip Kelly from making a move for the former Heisman Trophy winner.
“I think we had some inside information because [offensive coordinator] Pat Shurmur had the opportunity to coach the kid for a year [in St. Louis], so he knows what he’s like in the meeting room, and he knows what he is like on a daily basis. He knows the consistency that comes with him, and he understands his work ethic. He’s an unbelievable competitor.
“I talked to the people who have been around him who were his coaches in the NFL and who were his coaches in college. Kevin Wilson is now the head coach at Indiana and was his offensive coordinator [at Oklahoma]. I talked to Kevin about him. I talked to [Oklahoma head coach] Bob Stoops about him. The kid is wired right. He’s a competitor.”
But did Kelly make a wise gamble, giving up on Nick Foles, parting with a 2016 second-round pick and taking on $12.895 million in salary for 2015?
WHAT DOES KELLY SEE IN HIM?
Take a look at Bradford’s career stats, and there’s not a whole lot to be impressed about. He’s completed 58.6 percent of his passes, averaged 6.3 YPA, thrown 59 touchdowns and been intercepted 38 times. Among the 26 active quarterbacks who have attempted at least 1,700 passes, Bradford is the only one who has averaged under 6.5 YPA.
Only Matt Cassel, Mark Sanchez and Bradford have completed under 59 percent of their passes and averaged less than 6.9 YPA. That’s obviously not great company.
But the one number that stands out is 2.2 percent. That’s Bradford’s interception rate. Only Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady have posted a better mark among active QBs with at least 1,500 attempts. Throughout his career, Bradford has proven to be a good decision-maker who takes care of the football.
There’s been a lot of talk this offseason about the effect Kelly’s scheme can have on quarterbacks. Sanchez, for example, completed 56.3 percent of his passes and averaged 6.7 YPA with the Jets. In nine games with the Eagles, those numbers jumped to 64.1 percent and 7.8. But Sanchez’s interception rate was nearly identical (3.7 percent with the Jets; 3.6 with the Eagles).
The hope for Eagles fans is that Bradford will see a Sanchez-like jump in the first two numbers and maintain his low interception rate. If the quarterback in Kelly’s system can take care of the football, perhaps scheme can help with the rest.
“I think any QB in this league would love to play for Chip and his offense,” Bradford said. “It’s extremely QB-friendly. In the tape that I’ve watched, it looks like it’s a lot of fun to play in, and I think it’s similar to what I did in college at Oklahoma. So I’m extremely excited to be here, and I’m ready to get rolling.”
What specifically is QB-friendly about it?
“The way they set up progressions, the way the ball comes out of your hands, the way they deal with protections the run game,” Bradford continued. “Like I said, I haven’t gone into too many details. It’s only been from what I’ve seen, but from what I’ve seen it looks like everything goes through the quarterback. What do you like? How do you see things? And then they’re going to tailor it from there. They’re never going to put you in a bad situation where you have nowhere to go with the ball, and you’re standing back there holding onto the ball for five seconds.”
Bradford possesses the “repetitive accuracy” Kelly is looking for, even if the numbers don’t always show it. In 2013, Bradford completed a career high 60.7 percent of his passes. Per Pro Football Focus, the Rams had 21 drops that year, and eight balls were batted at the line of scrimmage.
Many of Bradford’s throws were shallow crossers, screens, check-downs and slants. Per PFF, just 45.9 percent of Bradford’s passing yards were through the air. That ranked 40th out of 41 quarterbacks. Put more simply, 54.1 percent of his passing yards were accounted for by receivers after the catch.
Bradford did show the ability to fit the ball into tight windows. Here’s an example where he squeezes one in between Falcons defenders.
And a similar play here against the Cowboys:
He does a good job with ball placement too, here getting it past the diving linebacker, but still in a place where the receiver can make the grab:
Accuracy and decision-making. The guess here is that those are the two traits Kelly saw on tape when deciding whether or not to make a play for Bradford.
CAN HE GET IT DOWNFIELD?
The 2013 Rams offense was the definition of dink and dunk. Per PFF, only 8.4 percent of Bradford’s passes traveled 20+ yards downfield. That ranked 37th out of 40 quarterbacks. Remember last year when it seemed like the Eagles never went downfield once Sanchez took over? Even then, 12 percent of Sanchez’s passes went 20+ yards downfield.
Overall, 133 of Bradford’s 159 completions in 2013 (83.6 percent) came within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage.
But much of the Eagles’ offense the past two years has been about chucking it downfield. They see a lot of single-high looks, and defenses have had to respect the run game. In 2014, the Eagles’ passing game produced 63 plays of 20+ yards, third in the league. In 2013, that number was 80, tops in the NFL.
It’s fair to wonder whether Bradford can push the ball downfield effectively in this offense.
The tape suggests he can. Bradford’s 40.9 percent accuracy mark (PFF) was middle of the pack (21st out of 40). But he shows good touch and doesn’t miss a lot of wide-open guys downfield when he has time in the pocket.
Here, against the Panthers, Bradford steps up in the pocket and unloads a beautiful bomb on the post. The ball travels about 50 yards through the air and hits the receiver in stride:
Here against the Jaguars, Bradford looks off the middle-of-the-field safety and drops one in the bucket down the right sideline:
Both the plays above came off play-action. For some reason, with Bradford, the Rams only used play-action on 19 percent of their passes, per PFF. That ranked 26th out of 41 quarterbacks. But his numbers on those throws were really good – 65.4 percent completions, 9.7 YPA. Bradford’s 111.5 passer rating off play-action in 2013 ranked seventh.
The Eagles are a big play-action team. And Bradford should get plenty of more opportunities to lure defenders up with play-fakes before taking shots downfield.
Questioning whether Bradford’s lack of deep attempts in St. Louis was his fault or offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer’s fault is fair. In 2013, after Kellen Clemens took over, the Rams still were mostly dink and dunk. Just 10.3 percent of Clemens’ passes went 20+ yards downfield (33rd).
But in 2014, Austin Davis ranked 12th in that category (13.7 percent), and Shaun Hill ranked 16th (12.7 percent). Perhaps the Rams made an effort to push the ball downfield more in 2014, or maybe the specific quarterbacks just liked to take more shots.
On tape, there were not a lot of instances where Bradford had guys open downfield and checked it down. But he also didn’t seem like much of a risk-taker either.
WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST CONCERNS?
The biggest issue here is whether Bradford can stay healthy.
“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t going to be a little nervous the first time I stepped on the field,” Bradford said. “I think anyone who has gone through what I’ve gone through will be a little nervous to step back on the field, but I’m sure once I get out there and the bullets start flying, when I take that first it, I’ll probably shake it off and I’ll be just fine.
“The second time around, it was probably harder mentally than it was physically. To put all the work in to come back and to be ready, I felt like I was playing at a very high level in training camp last year. To have that all taken away again, there was a brief period of time where I really wasn’t sure that I wanted to go through it again. I went home, kind of cleared my head for a week and realized that there’s no way that football can not be a part of my life.”
On the field, the biggest concern is one that applies to many quarterbacks: reacting to pressure.
In many of the clips above, Bradford had a nice, clean pocket. When that’s the case, he can be very effective. But when things start to break down around him, the results are often disastrous.
According to PFF, Bradford completed just 38.8 percent of his attempts and averaged 5.0 YPA in 2013 when pressured. Granted, every QB’s numbers are going to go down when pressured, but those are particularly ugly.
On tape, a couple things stand out. One, Bradford has very little escapability. Russell Wilson, for example, gets more dangerous the longer he holds onto the ball. The opposite is true for Bradford. His attempts to extend plays and get away from pressure often lead to negative results.
Here against the 49ers, it looks like there’s a giant lane to take off and scramble. Bradford tries that, and the edge defender closes quickly for the sack:
Here against the Cardinals, he clumsily reacts to pressure, tries to take off and loses the football:
While Bradford’s interception rate is excellent, he’s fumbled 27 times in 49 games.
The feel for navigating the pocket just isn’t there at times. Here against Jacksonville, it looks like Bradford initially has a clean pocket, but he shuffles right into the left tackle who’s getting pushed back, trips and takes a sack:
Greg Cosell and other analysts often talk about making plays inside and outside of structure. With Bradford, it’s never good when he gets outside of structure.
Even when he gets passes off, pressure really affects Bradford’s accuracy and decision-making. And eight batted passes in seven games for a 6-foot-4 quarterback is concerning.
Here against the 49ers, he has a defender in his face and is nearly picked off.
Against Dallas, the right guard gets walked back into his face, and Bradford sails one for the interception.
When the pocket is clean, and Bradford can get rid of the ball in a timely manner, he’s pretty good. When receivers are covered or protection breaks down, he’s a mess.
OVERALL
Bradford played in a spread offense at Oklahoma and sees some similarities to what the Eagles do.
“I think making quick decisions, getting the ball out of your hands,” he said. “A lot of the run-pass options are similar to what we did in college. Obviously not me running the football, but the running backs with some of the quick game and then pushing the ball down the field and play-action. There’s just a lot of carry-over to what we did at Oklahoma. And I think my skill set fits that perfectly.”
The good news? Through two years, Kelly’s scheme has produced far more open receivers than Bradford saw with the Rams. Bradford’s completion percentage and YPA should jump in this offense. If he can stay healthy and continue to make good decisions, the Eagles might have something. Bradford threw 13 touchdowns and no interceptions in the red zone in 2013. And he had a 112.4 passer rating against the blitz.
The bad news? With Jeremy Maclin gone, the Eagles have an unimpressive group of pass-catchers. And if they suffer injuries or decline on the offensive line, things could get ugly with Bradford.
From an athleticism standpoint, he ran a 4.79 coming out of Oklahoma. But in the NFL, Bradford has not been a threat to make plays with his legs. He had one 23-yard scramble in 2013, but ran for just 8 yards on his other 14 attempts. On designed rollouts and bootlegs, he’s fine. But don’t expect Bradford to keep the ball much on zone reads.
There’s no guarantee that Bradford is in Philadelphia after the draft. Given his salary and injury history, there are obvious risks. But Kelly clearly saw enough to pull the trigger on last week’s deal and believes Bradford can resurrect his career in a new home.
“I think that I have a lot to prove,” Bradford said. “I have a lot to prove to everyone in this building. I think Coach Kelly took a leap of faith bringing me here. Obviously he believes in me, and now it is time to prove to everyone else in this building that I belong here.
“I’ve had [football] taken away from me twice in the past two years. And I think when something’s taken away from you, you really realize how much you love it.”
March 25, 2015 at 6:26 pm #21494znModeratorEagles had 2010 Sam Bradford on par with Peyton
By Chris Wesseling
Speaking at the NFL Annual Meeting on Wednesday, coach Chip Kelly said he hopes newly acquired Sam Bradford will emerge as a legitimate franchise quarterback with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Kelly didn’t have to sell Bradford’s franchise-altering potential to owner Jeffrey Lurie in advance of the March 10 trade in which 2014 starter Nick Foles was sent to the Rams.
NFL Now delivers a non-stop video stream highlighting the next generation of NFL talent in preparation for the 2015 NFL Draft. Start using it now!
In the lead-up to the 2010 NFL Draft, Lurie disclosed Tuesday, the Eagles evaluated Bradford as “the best young quarterback we’d seen … probably since Peyton Manning coming out of college.”
It was not the first time this week that an Eagles operative drew comparisons between Bradford and the cream of the NFL’s quarterback crop.
“When you look at all the great quarterbacks,” Kelly told NFL Media’s Steve Wyche, “Peyton Manning has missed a year, Tom Brady has missed a year, Drew Brees has missed a year. Again, we felt like to get a player of Sam’s caliber, it wouldn’t have happened unless he was injured.”
Kelly watched Bradford’s film “hundreds” of times while researching the trade, Lurie added. Offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur, perhaps the strongest advocate for the trade, was the play-caller during Bradford’s Offensive Rookie of the Year campaign back in 2010.
Multiple teams have placed Bradford’s value as greater than a first-round draft pick.
The Eagles had reportedly decided by last Halloween that Foles was not the answer under center. As we opined after the trade went down, Kelly will come out on the winning side if Bradford succeeds in reaching his franchise-quarterback potential.
If not, the Eagles are back to square one, joining a dozen other teams in the obsessive hunt for that most elusive NFL asset.
“Until you find your quarterback,” Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff once said, “the search for him consumes you.”
Kelly can identify with that stark sentiment.
The latest Around The NFL Podcast recaps the inaugural Veteran Combine and discusses which star players were helped (and hurt) by free agency. Find more Around The NFL content on NFL NOW.
March 30, 2015 at 2:44 am #21749znModeratorBy Peter King
http://mmqb.si.com/2015/03/30/extra-points-pat-rule-change-nfl-draft/5/
I think I can now say with certainty that The Other Team in the chase for Sam Bradford—as many have inferred—was Cleveland. The Browns would have been willing to part with a first-round pick in either 2015 or 2016 (I do not know which year) for Bradford, but there were two problems: One, the Browns didn’t have a quarterback to give in return, and Philadelphia was willing to fork over Nick Foles. Two, Bradford would not have been willing to sign a new contract this off-season if he were traded to Cleveland, and he is willing to consider an extension in Philadelphia. So the Philly deal was really the only one that made sense for the Rams and for Bradford, in the end.
March 30, 2015 at 1:59 pm #21783
rflParticipantthe Philly/Bradford side of the trade story
Wanna know the truth?
I don’t care. Sam is not a Ram any more. I really don’t care what happens to him on a team I have never cared about 1 way or another. It didn’t work out here. That’s sad looking back. I won’t pay much attention looking forward.
I’m actually fairly ruthless about players who go elsewhere. I just don’t care any more. Some fans continue to follow the player. I never have.
By virtue of the absurd ...
March 31, 2015 at 6:12 pm #21877znModeratorPete Prisco: No Question Sam Bradford Is ‘Better Than Nick Foles’
March 31, 2015 5:34 PM
By Ray Boyd
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — CBSSports’ Pete Prisco joined Josh Innes and Tony Bruno on Innes and Bruno on Tuesday afternoon. The conversation began with the other quarterback prospect making news, Jameis Winston.
Winston is the consensus number one pick on most experts’ boards and the Florida State prospect had his pro-day on Tuesday.
“It was good. It wasn’t great,” Prisco said of Winston’s pro-day performance. Some experts described the outing as “ho-hum,” which Prisco characterized as being too harsh of an assessment.
“I think sometimes we put too much stock into these things,” Prisco said of pro-days. He referenced the not-so-good pro-day performance of Teddy Bridgewater prior to last year’s draft and the fact that Bridgewater went on to have a productive first season in the NFL.
Prisco also broke down Marcus Mariota who is the quarterback prospect Eagles fans are a little more familiar with and who is expected to be the second quarterback to come off the board at the draft.
“He’s got a good arm. There is no question about that,” Prisco said of Mariota. “I just think in [Oregon’s] system at times, he was asked to do things that were easy.
“For every five NFL throws Jamies Winston made [Mariota] probably made two.”
Prisco was addressing the fact that Mariota may not have the NFL type throws on tape in the abundance that Winston does, but that may be a product of the fact that he was not asked to make those type of plays as often in his team’s offense.
“You’re going to have to wait a year or two,” Prisco said of when we’ll find out if Mariota can meet the demands of an NFL offense. “Unless somehow he ends up in Philadelphia, then I think he fits with what they want to do.”
Prisco went on to acknowledge the fact that Chip Kelly’s offense has had a similar effect in that it makes it easy for quarterbacks and offensive weapons to produce numbers, but he warned that in today’s NFL, opposing teams always figure things out.
“Right now I think Chip’s ahead of them,” Prisco said of his offense against opposing defenses. “But, they’re going to figure it out.”
The Eagles also announced the signing of Miles Austin on Tuesday. The 31-year-old wide receiver comes to the Eagles following the departure of Jeremy Maclin who just wrapped up his most successful season in the NFL.
“That’s a weird signing,” Prisco said of the Austin deal. “He’s not awful, but he’s nothing special and he’s not the answer to their problems.”
Prisco also critiqued the Eagles signing of cornerback Byron Maxwell. “Personally I wouldn’t have signed him for that money,” Prisco said of Maxwell’s reported 6-year, $63 million deal. “Byron Maxwell is the back up singer who is getting lead singer money and the question is can he sing when he gets to the front of the stage. I wonder about that.”
Prisco also supported the notion that the Eagles panicked to replace McCoy when they allocated free agent dollars to DeMarco Murray and Ryan Mathews when they could have added to the running back position in the draft.
Prisco gave some insight into the Eagles current starting quarterback, Sam Bradford. “He’s better than Nick Foles,” Prisco said. “I don’t think there is any question about that.”
“Sam Bradford might be one of the most competitive human-beings you’ll ever be around,” Prisco added. “If he’s the quarterback, and they don’t draft Mariota, I think Sam Bradford will be better for the Eagles in the long run than will Nick Foles.”
May 23, 2015 at 5:53 pm #25160znModeratorSteve Spagnuolo: Sam Bradford will be great for Eagles
By Chris Wesseling
After acquiring Sam Bradford in March, Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie revealed that his organization once evaluated the former University of Oklahoma star as the best quarterback coming out of college since Peyton Manning in 1998.
The Eagles weren’t alone in their high regard for Bradford’s NFL prospects. Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, head coach of the Rams in 2010, revealed this week that former Browns personnel czar Mike Holmgren tried “anything and everything” to trade up from No. 7 to select Bradford with the No. 1 pick.
In an interview with Philadelphia’s WPEN-FM, Spagnuolo also emphasized that Bradford “still can be” the franchise quarterback that the football cognoscenti expected after his Offensive Rookie of the Year campaign five years ago.
“Trust me when I tell you he’s got all the skills, and I keep going back to the fierce competitor because I believe elite quarterbacks in this league have that,” Spagnuolo continued. “You think of them all, the Aaron Rodgers, the Tom Bradys, the Peyton Mannings, Eli Mannings, they’re all very fierce competitors. They love the challenge. They love to rally people around them, and Sam has that. I really believe that.”
Spagnuolo considers Bradford a perfect fit for Chip Kelly’s offense because he can make all the throws with a “top-notch” arm, is a “better athlete than people think” and operates best out of a no-huddle attack.
“I know he’s going to do great things there,” Spagnuolo added.
Critics cited Bradford’s recent injury history while panning the Eagles’ trade. Kelly views those doubts as the only reason he was able to pry away a potential franchise quarterback still valued at a high level.
Spagnuolo’s lofty praise suggests Kelly might know what he’s doing.
May 23, 2015 at 5:53 pm #25161znModeratorIs Sam Bradford an upgrade over Nick Foles in Philly?
ProFootballTalk: Derrick Gunn joins the show to discuss the Eagles’ offseason moves regarding the quarterback and running back positions, as well as the current state of Chip Kelly’s relationship with Sam Bradford.
http://www.nbcsports.com/football/nfl/sam-bradford-upgrade-over-nick-foles-philly?t=0
May 23, 2015 at 10:44 pm #25167
cgsuddeathParticipantthe Philly/Bradford side of the trade story
Wanna know the truth?
I don’t care. Sam is not a Ram any more. I really don’t care what happens to him on a team I have never cared about 1 way or another. It didn’t work out here. That’s sad looking back. I won’t pay much attention looking forward.
I’m actually fairly ruthless about players who go elsewhere. I just don’t care any more. Some fans continue to follow the player. I never have.
+10000
May 26, 2015 at 3:35 pm #25304znModeratorWhy Sam Bradford Can Excel in Chip Kelly’s Offense
By Cian Fahey ,
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2392065-why-sam-bradford-can-excel-in-chip-kellys-offense
Quarterback-for-quarterback trades in the NFL are very rare. Trades that involve starting quarterbacks are even less common. Unsurprisingly, Chip Kelly isn’t scared of blazing a trail.
Now with personnel control of the Philadelphia Eagles, Kelly acquired former first overall draft pick Sam Bradford from the St. Louis Rams for Nick Foles, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Foles entered the 2014 season as the Eagles’ starting quarterback, but the offer of Bradford and a “swap of picks,” per NFL.com’s Albert Breer, proved to be too much.
A huge amount of speculation has surrounded Kelly and his quarterback position this offseason. Most of that has been focused on Marcus Mariota, the Oregon prospect who is expected to go in the top 10 of the upcoming draft.
It’s still possible that Kelly is chasing after his former college quarterback. Bradford and the second-round pick reported by ESPN.com’s Phil Sheridan could simply be added to the team’s arsenal of assets for a potential trade up into the top five with the Tennessee Titans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Oakland Raiders or Washington.
While that’s still a possibility, Bradford could also be the quarterback whom Kelly intends to start in 2015.
As this article discusses in depth, Bradford’s situation in St. Louis has dramatically hurt his statistical production. The 27-year-old missed a lot of time on the field through injury, including two torn ACLs over the past two seasons, but when he was on the field, he didn’t have a consistent running game or pass protection while his receivers struggled to get open and catch the ball.
Furthermore, Bradford was playing in Brian Schottenheimer’s offense. Schottenheimer is widely disdained for his lack of creativity and overall ability as a coordinator.
It’s blatantly obvious that Bradford will get better support if he stays in Philadelphia. Even though the Eagles lost Frank Gore, as the Colts announced his acquisition Tuesday, traded LeSean McCoy and couldn’t re-sign Jeremy Maclin, they still have Kelly’s scheme and enough talent to be more than just an average unit with good quarterback play.
Good quarterback play is what Bradford can give the Eagles offense. In a vacuum, Bradford has always been a good NFL quarterback. It’s not widely accepted because to come to this conclusion, you need to be able to isolate his performances from the offense in which he has played.
Bradford’s greatest strength is his accuracy.
The above chart tracks Bradford’s accurate and inaccurate passes from the 2013 season. He missed all of the 2014 season after tearing his ACL during the preseason, so this was the last time that he was on the field during the regular season.
It’s clear that Bradford is an exceptionally accurate passer when throwing the ball fewer than 10 yards downfield. His deep accuracy looks worse because the ratio of accurate-to-inaccurate throws broadens, but that is to be expected when throwing the ball farther downfield.
To get an idea of how impressive Bradford’s accuracy is overall, we must compare his chart to that of other quarterbacks. For an Eagles perspective, the best quarterback to compare him to is Foles.
As this chart highlights, a vast number of Foles’ targets during the 2013 season were behind the line of scrimmage. That year was Foles’ best with Philadelphia. Foles’ accuracy on these throws was mostly effective, but that should be expected of quarterbacks at this level.
His flaws became more apparent when he was asked to push the ball deeper downfield.
Foles was at his best throwing to intermediate routes directed toward the sideline. He was able to consistently give his receivers opportunities to catch the ball in those areas. However, his shorter accuracy often strained receivers unnecessarily, and his deep accuracy was simply bad.
In Kelly’s offense, Foles was regularly throwing deep passes into sizable windows. This helped his raw accuracy statistics, as he was able to simply float the ball downfield for his open receivers to run underneath.
Bradford didn’t have that advantage in St. Louis. Instead, he had the opposite.
Therefore, Bradford’s ability to throw the deep ball should be considered much more advanced than that of Foles. More specifically, Bradford’s ability to throw the deep ball should go a long way toward helping Kelly maximize the potential of his offense as a whole.
On this play against the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2013, Bradford shows off his impressive arm talent:
As they have so often done under Gus Bradley, the Jaguars come out showing a Cover 3 look before the snap. Bradford is under center with an offset fullback and one receiver outside of the numbers to each side of the field.
The receiver to his right, Austin Pettis, is whom Bradford is going to throw the ball to.
Pettis was initially lined up to the wide side of the field. His positioning against the Cover 3 that the defense was hinting at and his route that would take him down the sideline meant that he was always going to be Bradford’s best option on this play.
After carrying out the play fake and holding the deep safety to the near side of the field with his eyes, Bradford begins his throwing motion.
At this point, Pettis has created no separation against the defensive back. He is not even level with the defender as he accelerates into his route. Pettis is primarily a possession receiver who lacks size and doesn’t have long speed to be an adequate deep threat in this situation.
Therefore, Bradford must throw him open.
With exceptional arm strength and the perfect trajectory and placement, Bradford is able to lead Pettis to space behind the defensive back. Bradford puts the ball outside, away from the defensive back in a spot where only his wide receiver can catch the ball.
Covering that much ground through the air could lead you to think that he was simply lucky with the positioning of the ball, but that doesn’t jibe with the rest of Bradford’s tape.
He was consistently able to throw his receivers open in St. Louis, but those receivers weren’t consistently able to take advantage of the opportunities he provided. That kind of accuracy is what Kelly’s offense has been lacking with Michael Vick, Foles and Mark Sanchez in recent years.
With the accuracy in place, Bradford also needs to demonstrate his intelligence in terms of reading defenses consistently and making the types of plays that Kelly asks his quarterback to make.
During his time with the Rams, Bradford defaulted to caution. He typically appeared to be too cautious on the broadcast game tape, but the All-22 often revealed that he was being cautious because he had no options downfield. Being cautious was usually the smarter alternative.
He is a pocket passer with decent athleticism. That athleticism may be diminished now after two ACL tears, but it’s not the foundation of his success.
Back in Week 1 of the 2013 season, Rams tight end Jared Cook and rookie Arizona Cardinals safety Tyrann Mathieu combined for one of the more memorable plays of the year. Mathieu caught Cook from behind to punch the ball away as he was running into the end zone.
That was notable because of what Mathieu and Cook did, but Bradford made it happen by executing a very Kelly-like play.
From the shotgun, Bradford carries out a play fake with the running back who initially lined up to his right. This wasn’t the full extent of the play fake, though, as the Rams also pulled the right guard across the formation to sell the run as much as possible.
On the back end, the coverage has been left with man assignments underneath and one deep safety to the left of the offense.
Because the play fake was so effective, the Cardinals had two linebackers caught in no-man’s land underneath. As they attempted to recover their positions, Bradford was sitting deep in a completely clean pocket, watching the deep safety down the seam.
Bradford has to hold on to the ball to allow his routes to develop before making his decision based on what the deep safety does.
At the perfect time, Bradford decides to throw the ball to his closer seam route, which Cook is running. Cook squeezes in behind the defender covering him, but he hasn’t created significant separation downfield.
Bradford could attempt to float the ball down the field for him to run underneath, but there are defenders in position to come across and disrupt his tight end at the catch point if he does. Instead, he is able to alter the trajectory of his pass to fit it around the cornerback and hit Cook in stride.
Cook doesn’t have to slow down at any point, and the cornerback never has a chance to prevent the completion. This was a perfect play from the quarterback.
In recent times, Kelly has used similar principles to these in order to attack the defense deep down the field. The design and overall quality of his offense has often led to wide-open receivers, though, so even this play is more difficult than the average one Bradford would need to make in the Eagles offense.
The Rams didn’t trade Bradford to the Eagles because he doesn’t have the potential to be a very good player. They traded him because of his injury history and salary.
Bradford is a significantly better player than Foles despite the Rams’ willingness to jettison him.
May 28, 2015 at 7:58 pm #25453
SunTzu_vs_CamusParticipantdangit….that limp is what had me worried and I’d be cringing if Sam was limping while still a Ram.
THAT…is why he was traded – not that Foles was better- but that Foles would stay healthy and be better than our 2nd/3rd stringers and I think Foles can be. But Foles is not the passing talent that Sam is. imo
However, if he’s always hurt it doesn;t matter how good he is if he can’t play….and that’s why Fisher traded him.
It was the right thing to do. imo"I should have been a pair of ragged claws...
Scuttling across the floors of silent seas."May 31, 2015 at 11:14 pm #25633znModeratorTHAT…is why he was traded – not that Foles was better- but that Foles would stay healthy and be better than our 2nd/3rd stringers and I think Foles can be. But Foles is not the passing talent that Sam is. imo
However, if he’s always hurt it doesn;t matter how good he is if he can’t play….and that’s why Fisher traded him.
It was the right thing to do. imoYeah I think there’s a consensus here on all that.
June 1, 2015 at 9:07 am #25643znModeratorWill Bradford be ready? For now, Sanchez is the man
http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/eagles/20150529_Will_Bradford_be_ready__For_now__Sanchez_is_the_man.htmlAs Chip Kelly noted, if the Eagles played their regular-season opener Thursday, it would have been “illegal” or something like that. His underlying message: Just because Sam Bradford’s left knee doesn’t appear remotely close to 100 percent healthy on May 28 doesn’t mean that Mark Sanchez will be the starting quarterback 109 days later.
But with each passing day that Bradford is not completely back from tearing his anterior cruciate ligament, the specter of Sanchez under center on Sept. 14 in Atlanta becomes more and more of a reality.
Kelly said Bradford’s recovery was on schedule. Many NFL players return from ACL injuries in the nine months since Bradford tore his. But not many had to endure a second ACL tear in the same knee only 10 months after the first.
So the Eagles will proceed cautiously
June 9, 2015 at 11:20 pm #26068znModeratorEagles QB Sam Bradford confident in his recovery from injury
TAKING COMMAND of a group that hasn’t seen you lead it through a game – or even a practice – can be tricky, Sam Bradford acknowledged.
“It is a little bit difficult,” the Eagles quarterback said yesterday, after again throwing in seven-on-seven sessions during OTAs. Mark Sanchez, Matt Barkley and Tim Tebow quarterbacked for all the full-team reps. “Yeah, I wish I were out there taking every rep. I think it’d make it a little easier to take on that leadership role and develop some of those relationships.
“But there’s other ways to do that – pulling guys aside after practice, in the weight room. You’ve got to look for different ways to do it, when you can’t do it on the field.”
Bradford said he has been working on building relationships with teammates who might know him only as the guy who tore his left ACL two straight seasons in St. Louis.
“I think that’s what it’s about,” Bradford said. “I think the stronger the relationships you have on the team, the closer the team is, the more you want to fight for each other on Sundays.”
Bradford’s new teammates have seen him throw the ball well in drills.
“Let me tell you, the accuracy I’ve seen out of him so far, it’s looking good,” said outside linebacker Brandon Graham, whose early Eagles career was derailed by a serious knee injury. “That knee stuff is serious, but [it can be] all in your head, too. When it’s finally healed, it’s all about where your mentality is. I think he’ll be all right.”
Running back DeMarco Murray played with Bradford at Oklahoma and was attracted to the Eagles in free agency this spring partly because Bradford was here. Murray seemed reluctant to assess Bradford’s status yesterday, to compare this version with the guy who was taken first overall in the 2010 NFL draft.
“Smart player,” Murray said. “He’s getting better, but I don’t know what he’s doing and where he’s at, or whatnot . . . He’s definitely a great quarterback . . . What he’s been able to do out here since he got here has been pretty good, so we’ll see how it goes.”
At least two important pieces of information came from Bradford’s chat with reporters yesterday, only his second media session since he took the field with the Eagles.
First, though Bradford said he didn’t want to make any proclamations that could come back to bite him, he acknowledged that he’s hoping to be full-go when training camp starts Aug. 2.
“That’s a great question,” Bradford said, after being asked when he thinks he’ll be 100 percent. “If I knew, I’d tell you guys. I really don’t know.”
Later, when a reporter noted that when Bradford was introduced in March, he said he hoped to be ready for the start of training camp, Bradford said: “I hope so . . . If I knew I was going to be ready, 100 percent, I would tell you guys, but I’m excited about that date. I think if everything continues the way it has, I’ll be ready for that . . . In this process, it’s tough. You don’t want to set concrete dates. You set a concrete date and then you don’t make it, you feel like it’s a setback or a disappointment. We’ve continued to take it day by day.”
Not declaring the first day of training camp as his goal might be a sign of justified wariness over media reaction; Bradford seems mindful that, for the first time in his football life, he is not in the Midwest.
“It’s East Coast, it’s big city,” Bradford said, speaking to a crowd of a few dozen reporters and camera operators. “I think there’s more media here than we’ve ever had [at Oklahoma or in St. Louis] at training camp or after a game. So, I’m getting used to that.”
Second, Bradford said he did not suffer cartilage damage in either ACL tear. As Dr. Art Bartolozzi, the former Eagles and Flyers team orthopedic surgeon, told the Daily News last week, the extent of cartilage damage often is the key element in determining how a knee holds up after ligament repair. Without the cushioning cartilage, there often is swelling and pain. Bradford said he has had no swelling after his OTA throwing sessions.
Cartilage “is an important factor,” Bradford said. “If there were more damage, you’d be looking at even a longer recovery time.”
Another point Bartolozzi made was that because of the back-to-back tears, Bradford hasn’t spent much of the last two years in top shape, working full speed. This is something Bradford certainly seems to understand: There is more to being ready to play than having a successfully repaired knee.
“Obviously, when you don’t play football for a year, I think the mind slows down a little bit,” said Bradford, who reinjured his knee in last year’s third preseason game. He suffered his initial injury in the seventh game of 2013. “You can watch as much tape as you want, you can try to simulate as many things as you want, but to get out there and actually make those decisions in a split second – I’ve noticed that each day I’ve gotten out here, it’s gotten a little bit better, it feels closer to normal.
“Last week, I was a little rusty; I felt like everything was going about a hundred miles an hour. But I feel like each day, it comes back.”
Eagles coach Chip Kelly said last week that the way Bradford works, he won’t be hindered by missing these reps as he tries to learn a new offense. Quarterbacks coach Ryan Day said Bradford was a strong presence in meetings and in the film room.
Bradford noted yesterday that this is “my fourth or fifth offense in six years,” given the turnover in St. Louis.
“I’ve seen a lot of different plays, a lot of different offenses,” Bradford said. “I’ve run variations of all the plays that we’re running now. I think it’s just a matter of getting out there and developing the chemistry with the guys who are out there with me.”
June 10, 2015 at 1:39 am #26071
c1ramParticipantthe Philly/Bradford side of the trade story
Wanna know the truth?
I don’t care. Sam is not a Ram any more. I really don’t care what happens to him on a team I have never cared about 1 way or another. It didn’t work out here. That’s sad looking back. I won’t pay much attention looking forward.
I’m actually fairly ruthless about players who go elsewhere. I just don’t care any more. Some fans continue to follow the player. I never have.
I’m particularly interested in a lot of players who are not Rams for one reason or another. I’m very interest in Sam Bradford. I was not one who wanted to draft him #1 – never questioned arm but questioned ability to be decisive and accurate throwing in small windows – but have become more intrigued as his injury ridden career has gone on. Will be watching him closely in the Kelly system and hoping for an injury free year.
June 14, 2015 at 9:20 am #26244znModeratorZach Ertz: Sam Bradford puts ball ‘wherever he wants’
By Phil Sheridan, ESPN Staff Writer
PHILADELPHIA – Zach Ertz made a splash this offseason by saying that Sam Bradford was the hardest-throwing quarterback he’s ever worked with.
Considering that Ertz caught passes from Michael Vick, Nick Foles and Mark Sanchez during his two seasons with the Eagles, that was quite a comment. Throw in Andrew Luck, Ertz’s quarterback when the two were teammates at Stanford, and you really get a pretty impressive list.
Sam Bradford is fitting in well with the Eagles, tight end Zach Ertz said. Bill Streicher/USA TODAY Sports But it turns out there’s more. Ertz has gone to San Diego to work out with trainer Todd Durkin during this offseason. Durkin trains Saints quarterback Drew Brees, who was not throwing while Ertz was there.
“He was kind of taking a rest,” Ertz said. “But I threw with [Seattle’s] Russell Wilson. I threw with Andrew [Luck] back at Stanford. Wherever there’s a good quarterback, I’m going to try to go. I just focus on getting open. When the ball is there, catch the ball.”
At the Eagles’ practice Monday, Ertz caught a 50-yard touchdown pass from Bradford during 7-on-7 drills. “The guy can put it wherever he wants,” Ertz said. “It’s fun running deep and having faith the ball’s going to be exactly where it needs to be. On that 50-yard completion, I didn’t have to do too much – just run as fast as I could. He put the ball exactly where he needed to.”
Bradford talked the other day about building relationships with his teammates. Even though his knee hasn’t been cleared for full participation in practice yet, Bradford said he makes a point of talking to receivers after a play or spending time together in the film room. “Just coming in here to work every single day,” Ertz said, in answer to a question about what Bradford has done to fit in. “We don’t need him to be a rah-rah guy. We have a lot of rah-rah guys, motivational guys like DeMeco [Ryans] and Malcolm [Jenkins] and some of the guys on offense like JP [Jason Peters] who are going to rile guys up.
“Sam comes in and works every single day. It’s tough being the new guy, especially when you’re a quarterback, and having that leadership role. But he comes in every single day. You see him every day in the weight room, working hard and getting the knee ready. We have all the faith in the world in him.”
July 21, 2015 at 11:06 am #27429znModeratorEagles’ Sam Bradford will play out final year of deal
By Gregg Rosenthal
The Philadelphia Eagles took a chance on Sam Bradford by trading for him and choosing to pay him $12.985 million this season. But there’s no telling where he’ll play in 2016.
NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported on NFL Network’s NFL Total Access on Monday that Bradford plans to play out the final year of his contract, according to a source informed of his thinking. Bradford is essentially betting on himself by not signing an extension now. If he stays healthy and plays well, he could maximize dollars later.
This is an approach that makes sense for both sides. With Bradford coming off back-to-back torn ACLs, the Eagles surely would like to see him look healthy and effective in Chip Kelly’s system before handing over huge guaranteed money. There’s no way they could offer him a true “franchise quarterback” contract at this stage without a ton of protections. As discussed during Monday’s podcast, Bradford has to win the Week 1 starting job over Mark Sanchez before taking the next step. That’s far from guaranteed.
Bradford has already played out a six-year, $78 million contract signed under the old collective bargaining agreement. With that in mind, long-term “security” might be less important to him. He already has it. After looking less than 100 percent in offseason practices, Bradford needs to prove to the Eagles — and himself — that he can still be a viable NFL starter. Do that in Kelly’s passer-friendly system, and the money is going to come.
July 25, 2015 at 9:39 am #27556znModeratorRamBill
The first snap Bradford takes in a real game means the most the Rams would have to give back would be a 4th round pick. If he plays 50% of the snaps they owe the Eagles nothing.
July 26, 2015 at 8:58 pm #27610znModeratorSam Bradford Injury: Updates on Eagles QB’s Recovery from Torn ACL
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Sam Bradford hasn’t played in a regular-season NFL game since October 2013, but the former No. 1 overall pick is seemingly on pace to end that lengthy drought.
The Eagles took a chance on Bradford when they acquired him in a trade with the St. Louis Rams, as he tore his ACL for the second consecutive year last preseason, but the team is confident in his recovery and status for training camp.
While the 27-year-old signal-caller wasn’t able to partake fully in organized team activities, Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com is hearing from a source that he will indeed be ready to go full-bore in 11-on-11 drills when training camp opens Aug. 2.
http://www.nj.com/eagles/index.ssf/2015/07/sam_bradford_should_be_ready_for_eagles_training_c.html
According to a person familiar with the situation who requested anonymity, Bradford is “looking great”, has been in the rehab room close to every day this summer, and should be ready to go when training camp opens.
That means Bradford should be out on the field for 11-on-11 drills for the start of training cam
This report comes on the heels of Bradford expressing confidence that he would be far enough along in his recovery to assume his spot as the starting quarterback during training camp, per Shorr-Parks.
“If I’m not ready for 11-on-11 by training camp, then something has gone horribly wrong,” Bradford said. “That’s the plan right now. We’re going to keep plugging away and be ready when camp starts.”
Tim McManus of PhillyMag.com reported the Eagles’ investigation while providing a reassuring statement from Eagles head coach Chip Kelly:
We looked at everything, and we knew we weren’t going to pick No. 1 or No. 2. So, and I’ve said it before, if you’re not going to pick one or two, how do you go get a quarterback?” said Kelly, explaining the thought process heading into this offseason. “Peyton Manning switched teams because of an injury. Drew Brees switched teams because of an injury. So we went down that path.”
When it came to Bradford, the Eagles doctors consulted with the St. Louis trainers and the those that performed the surgery. The word they received was that the 27-year-old, coming off the second tear of his left ACL in less than a year’s time, “was fine” and “was progressing.” Further, there was no cartilage issues in the knee. On both occasions, it was just the ACL that was damaged.
The Eagles did their own independent research as well and reached the conclusion that when it comes to ACLs, there is a 10-to-12 percent chance of re-injury.
Back in May we spoke with Dr. James L. Carey, Director of the Penn Center for Advanced Cartilage Repair and Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. He cited studies that show the probability of re-tearing a reconstructed ACL is about three to six percent. (Those studies were on the general population, not just football players.)
Meanwhile, the chances of tearing the other knee — or the “native ACL” — is higher, around nine to 12 percent — closer to the figures that Kelly used.
Sponsored ContentEither way, the stats show that there is a pretty good chance that history won’t repeat. The idea was to take a shot on a QB with upside who probably wouldn’t be available if not for the injury history, and hope he ascends to the level of the elite. The Brees example is one that Kelly referred to on multiple occasions, like when he was asked about the possibility of Bradford being skittish in the pocket given what he’s gone through over the past two seasons.
Bradford’s impending return is huge for the Eagles since it means the likes of Mark Sanchez, Matt Barkley and Tim Tebow won’t have to take starting reps, but it’s even bigger for Bradford’s future.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the former University of Oklahoma standout has opted against signing an extension with the Eagles prior to the season:
Ian Rapoport@RapSheetFor Sam Bradford, not signing an extension now may allow him to maximize his value. He takes that over more security long-term
He is essentially gambling on himself, and the notion that he’ll be ready for training camp means the first roll of the dice is about to go his way.
Bradford will also have to prove that he can go through the preseason, regular season and perhaps even the playoffs without suffering another catastrophic injury, which is something he has been unable to avoid over the past two years.
If he can stay healthy and integrate himself into an offense anchored by running back DeMarco Murray, though, he stands to land a nice payday when the 2015 campaign reaches its conclusion.
August 8, 2015 at 10:05 am #28350znModeratorbiggame1190
[Rams fan in Philadelphia goes to Eagles camp]
After watching Sam yesterday he looks solid and healthy. Sam was NOT wearing a knee brace and unlike early reports Sam was NOT laboring his knee. No limping.
Sam seemed to take most of if not all the reps he needed too. He performed a lot of roll outs and scramble passes, which was good to see. Sam did not air the ball out too much, maybe 2-3 deep balls (nor did the other QBs). He cleary has the best ball of the other QBs in Philly (most of you knew that already) and he looked fluid. Some miscommunication out there between Sam and his new pass catchers but afterwards Sam would be talking with them right away suring things up. At the end of practice each QB (except Barkley) did a 2 minute drill from there own 20, 7 on 7s. Sam’s team was the only one to score. Ertz and Nelson Agholor (who really impressed me with his skill) seemed to be Sam’s favorite targets.. Sanchez couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn over 15 yards and Tebow killed a lot of worms (although Tebow impressed me more than Sanchez).
-
AuthorPosts
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
