The Browns think they can trade for Sam Bradford today. The Eagles think they can flip a pick they get from the Browns to move up and draft Marcus Mariota.
Unfortunately for both teams, Bradford will have something to say about that.
Multiple reports have said that Bradford would not be willing to sign a new contract with the Browns, which raises questions about whether it would really make any sense for the Browns to trade for him. Bradford has one year and $13 million left on his deal, and giving up a first-round draft pick for a guy with one year and $13 million left on his deal would be an odd decision if that player isn’t going to sign a new deal for 2016 and beyond.
Maybe the Browns know all that and would give up a first-round draft pick for Bradford anyway. The Browns are, after all, desperate to find themselves a quarterback. And they could franchise him next year to keep him in 2016 for about $20 million.
But that’s a huge price to pay for a quarterback who hasn’t improved since his rookie year and hasn’t shown he can stay healthy. The Browns took a major gamble last year when they spent a first-round pick on Johnny Manziel, and they’d be taking another major gamble if they spent a first-round pick on Bradford.
