Philadelphia Eagles: Can Sam Bradford Be Counted On?

Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

There are many diverse opinions on the Philadelphia Eagles, from their offseason moves, to their outlook this coming season. Some believe that the offseason moves made by head coach/GM Chip Kelly were foolish and he doesn’t know a thing about running a football team, some believe Chip is a mad genius. The foreshadowing of the Eagles season is also a hot topic, some see the Eagles going 8-8, others think 12-4. Most of those opinions stem from the belief or lack of belief in one man, that man is quarterback Sam Bradford.

The Philadelphia Eagles acquired Sam Bradford this spring via trade and it left everyone a bit confused. Chip Kelly sent QB Nick Foles and a handful of draft picks, including a 2016 second round pick, to St. Louis for Bradford. Most fans and some media thought at the time that the team was heavily in love with former Oregon QB Marcus Mariota, so the acquisition of Bradford made little sense. As time passed more and more people began to make sense of the trade. Now that the team is heading into training camp, it looks like the 27 year old QB will be the guy. Now the question arises, can the Philadelphia Eagles count on Sam Bradford?

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Talent has never been the issue for Sam Bradford, the man has a cannon of an arm and is deadly accurate with the football going places where only his receiver can get it. Bradford wasn’t the number 1 overall pick for nothing, the problem with Sam is his well documented health issues. Since coming out of the University of Oklahoma, Bradford has had a myriad of injuries from a shoulder injury, to ankle injuries, and now most recently, severe knee issues that have kept Bradford out of football for almost 2 years.

When it comes to the x’s and o’s part of the game, the Philadelphia Eagles can depend heavily on Sam. Bradford has all the physical tools and the mental makeup to run Chip Kelly’s fast break offense. In college Bradford played in a spread shotgun offense that demands quick decisions and accuracy, those same traits will be present in Philadelphia.

Bradford will have a plethora of weapons to give the ball to in running backs DeMarco Murray, Darren Sproles, and Ryan Mathews. Sam also has an offensive line that features three elite players at their positions in left tackle Jason Peters, center Jason Kelce, and right tackle Lane Johnson. The pass catchers are also dangerous with up and coming players that include tight end Zach Ertz, and receivers Jordan Matthews, Nelson Agholor, and Josh Huff.

Chip Kelly’s scheme has made average quarterbacks in Nick Foles and Mark Sanchez produce career best numbers while still missing on throws and reads. Sam Bradford has double the talent of Foles and Sanchez, but it is all about health. The biggest issue as of now that concerns me is Bradford’s current health. After two back to back ACL injuries to the same knee, it’s critical that Sam gets to 100% health.

I have faith that Bradford can withstand a full season, but i’m not sure if Sam can get fully healthy in time for the start of the season. This is where Sam’s dependability comes into question. It seems like the same old narrative, if healthy Sam Bradford can push the Philadelphia Eagles to new heights, if not, then the gifted QB may not be dependable enough to lead a talented Eagles roster.

There’s no question what Sam Bradford could do on the field, the problem is that it seems like he’s never on it. With the type of coach and supporting cast Bradford has, he can play a full season, but the clock is ticking for him to be totally ready for week 1 against the Atlanta Falcons. Sam Bradford can be counted on, but he must be healthy enough to carry the load the Philadelphia Eagles are going to put on him.

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