They certainly took every last minute they could to get it done, but it happened. The Philadelphia Eagles agreed to a two-year deal with Sam Bradford, worth $36 million with $26 million guaranteed. For all the headache and reports that Bradford’s asking price was through the roof, Howie Roseman and company did a great job at getting a deal done at the right price.
Averaging $13 million per year guaranteed is almost exactly the price point the Eagles wanted to pay, and for a starting quarterback it’s a great number to work with. Furthermore, adding in the $5 million per year in incentives makes it worth Bradford’s while. If he could bump his salary up to $18 million a year that’s, much closer to his end of the numbers.
But as much as I like the numbers, I like the fact that this signing does absolutely nothing to hamper the Eagles’ long-term plans at the position. If they’ve got their eye on a first-round quarterback prospect, Bradford’s deal doesn’t do a thing to complicate that. No matter who they land at No. 13, they’ll need a year or two to develop and that fits in perfectly. Say Bradford plays as he has the entire time — off he goes in a year or two and the backup is ready. But say that Bradford plays lights-out — the Eagles have their franchise guy and a great backup plan behind him.
I really thought Bradford was going to price himself out of town and get his money in free agency. With this deal, I can only assume two things. First, it seems like Bradford realized that his desirability on the open market wasn’t as hot as he thought. Secondly, it seems like Bradford is going to roll the dice on both himself and Doug Pederson and set himself up for a big payday in two years.
But that’s a scenario the Eagles don’t have to worry about now. For right now, they got themselves stability at a great price, one that allows them to continue shaping this team in Pederson’s image. Whether you like Bradford or not, you can’t hate how this deal came together.
