The most common response to the effort by Eagles quarterback Sam Bradford to get out of Philly after signing a two-year, $35 million contract has been to say that Bradford should simple embrace the opportunity to compete. Indeed, former NFL quarterback Brady Quinn (who was represented during his playing days by Bradford’s agent, Tom Condon) explained last week on PFT Live that Bradford simply isn’t accustomed to having to compete.
Condon has addressed the notion that Bradford should simply compete and, if successful, keep Carson Wentz on the bench. Condon explained on The Business of Sports with Andrew Brandt that the circumstances suggest that the deck is stacked in favor of Wentz.
“There’s not really a competition,” Condon said. “You’re holding the card until you’re replaced, and as far as the club is concerned, and I would guess the fans, the sooner, the better.”
Condon has a point. The last time the Eagles took a quarterback in round one, current coach Doug Pederson was the starting quarterback. He started nine games before yielding to then-rookie Donovan McNabb.
Rookie quarterbacks routinely are installed at the bottom of the depth chart, giving them a chance to accomplish something by working their way up the ladder -- regardless of whether they objectively deserve to be elevated from No. 3 to No. 2 to, eventually, No. 1. The bigger the investment, the sooner the player ends up on the field.
“I know people say, ‘Well, why doesn’t he just compete and win the job?’” Condon said. “There is no real competition. If you’ve given up the draft choices [to trade up] and he’s the second pick in the draft, he’s playing. That’s all there is to it.
Condon reiterated that Bradford will continue to stay away in the hopes of having a chance to get to a team that wants him. Will Bradford offer to pay back any of his $11 million signing bonus to make that happen?
“I think I better hold off on any questions with regard to the cash,” Condon said.
Buried in that non-answer could be a message to the Eagles that perhaps Bradford would be willing to, for example, sacrifice all or part of the second installment of $5.5 million. (The first half already has been paid.)
Still, it’s one thing for the Eagles to eventually decide to move on from Bradford. It’s another for a different team to want him. Barring a season-ending injury to an entrenched starter, Bradford may not find another NFL team that is willing to give him the keys for, at a minimum, all of the 2016 season.