Philadelphia Eagles Could Still Trade Sam Bradford

The Philadelphia Eagles gave Sam Bradford a deal to keep him on the team for the immediate future. They’ve brought in Chase Daniel and immediately tabbed him as the backup. They’ve been publicly noncommittal to the idea of bringing Mark Sanchez back. All should be quiet on the Bradford front.

However, I don’t think he should be unpacking his bags quite yet. I still think the Eagles have the opportunity, and perhaps the motive, to trade him away.

It’s going to sound like a conspiracy theory, but the situation is ripe for the possibility. Going off the free agent market, Bradford’s deal is relatively comparable and not that intimidating to another team. He’s also already locked in for two years, so there’s no immediate need to worry about a pricey extension. He’ll be an easy short-term option that won’t be oppressive to the salary cap.

There’s also a market out there for him, most notably with the Denver Broncos, and there’s also the fact that the Eagles now own the eighth overall pick in the draft. For a pro-style offense like Denver’s, Bradford has to look much more enticing than an option guy like Colin Kaepernick; and love it or hate it, the Eagles are in a much better position to pounce on a quarterback than they were at No. 13. Should Jared Goff or Carson Wentz slip to them, I wouldn’t be shocked to see the Eagles take advantage.

Meanwhile, Daniel knows Doug Pederson’s offense already and certainly has the coach’s trust. It’s not inconceivable that he holds the fort down for a rookie quarterback while Sanchez hangs around as the third-stringer for one year and walks. Rolling with Daniel, Sanchez and a rookie quarterback wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world, especially if that rookie is a guy the Eagles are especially high on.

It could all be bunk, of course, and Bradford and Daniel could be locked in a heated battle for the starting job well into the preseason. That would be a pretty solid situation for the Eagles, but Bradford could still draw a bid from desperate team that’s too good for the Eagles to pass up. The extra draft pick would certainly help the rebuilding process in Philadelphia.