The Philadelphia Eagles have traded quarterback Sam Bradford to the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for the Vikings first-round pick in the upcoming draft and a fourth-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.
All seemed to be going okay for former-Heisman quarterback Sam Bradford in 2016; a new coaching staff had implemented an offense that he had performed well in the past, but the same franchise had also drafted Carson Wentz #2 overall in this year’s draft with the hopes that the young signal caller could start either late this season or at the beginning of next season.
So while this trade, upon first glance, appears like a slap in the face for Bradford, it is beginning to look more like a blessing in disguise. Last week, the Vikings lost quarterback Teddy Bridgewater due to a dislocated knee as well as a torn ACL – an injury that could potential take 1-2 years to completely rehab. Bradford offers the ability to keep the Vikings afloat in the stout NFC North, not to mention that he is likely the best option the Purple and Gold have.
While defeating the Green Bay Packers for the division will ultimately remain a hammer versus nail story for the 2016 Vikes so long that Bridgewater is absent, Bradford at least has better ball skills than other league suitors such as Mark Sanchez, Johnny Manziel, Jimmy Clausen, or Michael Vick.
Okay, I actually might have taken Mike Vick for this specific scenario, but I’m also not an NFL General Manager. Either way, the Eagles saw an opportunity to better their own franchise and they took it. Bradford was never destined to hang around Lincoln Financial for more than two seasons anyway so adding a first-round pick for this coming year plus a fourth-rounder for 2018 isn’t a bad trade at all.
And not for nothing, but could you imagine Philadelphia hosting the 2017 NFL Draft with players granted access to climb the stairs of the Art Museum in celebration to being drafted and the Eagles not having a first-round pick? Wouldn't that have been quite the piss-poor ceremony.
Update:
It has been announced by Adam Caplan via Twitter that the Eagles have plans to start Carson Wentz week 1 against the Cleveland Browns at home if the rookie quarterback is healed well enough.