Six years into his NFL career, quarterback Sam Bradford — the top pick of the 2010 NFL draft — has won 25 games. Wins and losses aren’t quarterback statistics, but the fact the Rams and Eagles have gone 25-37 with him under center over a six-year period has to be considered an indictment on the 28-year-old’s career.
How wonky are the supply-and-demand dynamics when it comes to NFL quarterbacks these days? Among 24 quarterbacks who have started 50 or more games since Bradford came into the league in 2010, the Philadelphia quarterback ranks ahead of only Josh Freeman and Mark Sanchez. His yards-per-attempt average (6.45) ranks dead last, and he ranks in the bottom five in terms of completion percentage (20th) and touchdown percentage (last).
And yet on Tuesday Bradford signed an astonishing two-year, $36 million contract with $26 million guaranteed, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Frankly, with the first round of the draft essentially a crapshoot and with Kirk Cousins wrapped up by the Redskins via the franchise tag, Bradford is about as good as any quarterback available, and he probably has the best combination of experience and raw talent.
And yet he was the 11th lowest-rated passer in football last season.
On the bright side (for Eagles fans), Bradford caught fire late last season, completing 68 percent of his passes while posting a 97.0 passer rating during the final seven weeks of the year. But there are still major questions regarding his consistency as well as his ability to remain healthy (a big reason why he’s won just 25 games: he’s missed 33 in six years).
But this is undoubtedly Bradford’s last shot. The Eagles are desperate and he’ll be working under a new regime in 2016. If he struggles, they’ll bring in competition. If he keeps struggling, he’ll likely be done — another bust for our amusement.
