What is Bradford thinking?

[tinopuno]

Are he and his agent so blind to reality that they don't see that his childish refusal to take part in team activities under his new HC and Off Coordinator serves to further reduce, if not totally eliminate, any interest other teams might have in dealing for him. And if reports are accurate, he exacerbates an already difficult situation by refusing even to take or return phone calls from the Eagles HC or FO. WTF can this spoiled asshole be thinking?

It's been pointed out that this ultimately self-defeating, diva behavior is not consistent with anything Bradford has displayed previously during his professional career. But it's also true that he's never faced any competition, real or imagined, since signing the last of the monster rookie QB contracts with St Louis. Can he really be such a wuss that, after just signing a very generous contract that complied with his demands, he's now actually threatened by competition from a career backup and a very raw rookie with all of 15? FCS starts.

And while they are certainly the lead actors in this cluster fuck, IMO Bradford and his agent are not the only ones to blame here. Stipulating that Howie may very well not have had any reason to believe they would be in a position to move up for Wentz when he offered Bradford the fat contract, once the 'move up' was made he should have put his big boy horse trading pants on and gotten whatever he could get from Denver or whoever. A #2 or #3 or even a #4 in this supposedly deep draft would have been better than the mess we have now.

[musicman]

he's already made a small fortune for less than 3 years on the field. Guess he wants to have his way.

[kyfred]

I think there are far too many unknowns.
Was the short term deal Bradford’s idea or the Eagles’. Was Bradford willing to take less for a long term deal and the Eagles offered more on a 2-year deal with a desire to move on?

Does Bradford really think his play does not warrant competition or a desire to look for a longer term option? I hope not. He should want and expect more from himself than last year’s performance.

How upfront were the Eagles? – I have to think not very. You do not let it be known you want to draft a QB by sharing this with an agent and a player not yet signed. At the time of the signing, we had not completed the deal with the Dolphins. Did we let him know we wanted him as our QB – sure? But nobody is naive enough to commit long term to a guy that has not played two consecutive seasons in his career. If Bradford and his agent believed that; then shame on them.

I think Bradford and his agent tried to create leverage and it backfired. I would have thought any good agent would know better, but he may have been acting for his client and without any expectation. Bradford’s actions would seem to indicate as such. I have to wonder how much of this his desire to really play is. I seem to recall a rumor he was mulling retirement. Did he come back for the money and long term home? I believe his is taking exception to the manner by which he signed. He did not go through FA and may have left money on the table, could have gone someplace as a backup or heir apparent or could have gone to a winning team with a chance to compete.

In the end, I expect him to play a few games, get hurt and sit the balance of the season. Not because he could not come back, but they find that one of the other two is playing just fine.

[tinopuno]

he's already made a small fortune for less than 3 years on the field. Guess he wants to have his way.

Small fortune?

He won't have to wait for the first pic he throws to hear the boos from the Philly faithful. Philly fans don't begrudge their sports guys being paid well when they produce and leave it all on the field. But half ass it on the field or play 'entitled' off it and there will be no mercy.

[musicman]

I hope it shatters him. Blast him with a chorus of boos that make him piss his pants.

[tinopuno]

I think there are far too many unknowns.
Was the short term deal Bradford’s idea or the Eagles’. Was Bradford willing to take less for a long term deal and the Eagles offered more on a 2-year deal with a desire to move on?

Does Bradford really think his play does not warrant competition or a desire to look for a longer term option? I hope not. He should want and expect more from himself than last year’s performance.

How upfront were the Eagles? – I have to think not very. You do not let it be known you want to draft a QB by sharing this with an agent and a player not yet signed. At the time of the signing, we had not completed the deal with the Dolphins. Did we let him know we wanted him as our QB – sure? But nobody is naive enough to commit long term to a guy that has not played two consecutive seasons in his career. If Bradford and his agent believed that; then shame on them.

I think Bradford and his agent tried to create leverage and it backfired. I would have thought any good agent would know better, but he may have been acting for his client and without any expectation. Bradford’s actions would seem to indicate as such. I have to wonder how much of this his desire to really play is. I seem to recall a rumor he was mulling retirement. Did he come back for the money and long term home? I believe his is taking exception to the manner by which he signed. He did not go through FA and may have left money on the table, could have gone someplace as a backup or heir apparent or could have gone to a winning team with a chance to compete.

In the end, I expect him to play a few games, get hurt and sit the balance of the season. Not because he could not come back, but they find that one of the other two is playing just fine.

- From everything I read ( it could be inaccurate) Bradford was as intent upon and as happy with the 2 yer deal as were the Birds. It met needs on both sides.

- I too suspect that, at the very least, there were some "misunderstandings" regarding the level of commitment the Birds had to Bradford as their starter, around whom they would do all they could to build a winner over the next 2 years through FA and the draft. Everything else aside, Bradford had to see the striking expenditure of current draft picks to reach #2 as a failure to the commitment to "win now".

That said, Bradford signed a very attractive contract that an honorable man would act to fulfill in both spirit and letter. But even if principle and honor are not important to him, he's shitting in his own bed by behaving like a spoiled dick.

[FairOaks]

I'm guessing Bradford was told that he would have the opportunity to win the Eagles' long-term job. He mainly wanted a chance to play in the system for more than one year... while he was going to have to start fresh this year, I don't think he wanted to do the same *next* year.

With the amount the Eagles gave up, he really doesn't have that chance unless Wentz is an obvious bust (which is certainly possible). If it's at all close though, of course you go with Wentz, meaning he's looking to prove himself somewhere else yet again. It really does suck that he has never had the chance to stay in the same system -- that seriously retards growth, and that may be one of the big things holding him back. I thought he was getting quite decent the end of last year, and think he could get to top-10 range, which is enough to win with.

In theory, I like having both of them battle it out -- gives us two legit chances at finding a good QB. But the politics of the situation suck. I think it actually would have been OK had Wentz fallen to #8... but trading away all those picks makes the investment so high that usually teams will not give anyone else a realistic chance (even though it's a sunk cost either way).

But Bradford is not handling this well. Acting like this was a sure way to get off a Chip Kelly team, and he may still be trying to piss off the fans enough that the team knows keeping him is untenable. But if the team is willing to pay the money to keep him through the summer, damned the fan reaction, they can force him to play.

I might offer to let him pay his signing bonus back and cancel the contract if he wants though

[Eagle60]

I'm guessing Bradford was told that he would have the opportunity to win the Eagles' long-term job. He mainly wanted a chance to play in the system for more than one year... while he was going to have to start fresh this year, I don't think he wanted to do the same *next* year.

With the amount the Eagles gave up, he really doesn't have that chance unless Wentz is an obvious bust (which is certainly possible). If it's at all close though, of course you go with Wentz, meaning he's looking to prove himself somewhere else yet again. It really does suck that he has never had the chance to stay in the same system -- that seriously retards growth, and that may be one of the big things holding him back. I thought he was getting quite decent the end of last year, and think he could get to top-10 range, which is enough to win with.


In theory, I like having both of them battle it out -- gives us two legit chances at finding a good QB. But the politics of the situation suck. I think it actually would have been OK had Wentz fallen to #8... but trading away all those picks makes the investment so high that usually teams will not give anyone else a realistic chance (even though it's a sunk cost either way).

But Bradford is not handling this well. Acting like this was a sure way to get off a Chip Kelly team, and he may still be trying to piss off the fans enough that the team knows keeping him is untenable. But if the team is willing to pay the money to keep him through the summer, damned the fan reaction, they can force him to play.

I might offer to let him pay his signing bonus back and cancel the contract if he wants though

I don't think that's even possible is it? There are probably union or league rules about that.

[FairOaks]

[/B]

I don't think that's even possible is it? There are probably union or league rules about that.

I imagine anything is possible with agreement of both sides. But I think the NFLPA would frown upon that, as that contract may have upped the standard for QB salaries a little bit.


Frankly it might help to have Wentz have more reps this offseason for a while.

[Eagle60]

I imagine anything is possible with agreement of both sides. But I think the NFLPA would frown upon that, as that contract may have upped the standard for QB salaries a little bit.

Frankly it might help to have Wentz have more reps this offseason for a while.

When a franchise spends $25 million for 2 players that they want on the bench I would say that you are correct sir!