The Eagles and Vikings have agreed on what looks like a win-win trade. Minnesota gets a capable replacement for Teddy Bridgewater. Philadelphia gets a first-round pick and gets rid of a quarterback at what was an overcrowded position.
Sam Bradford heads to Minnesota, and I’m embarrassed I didn’t see it coming as a possibility. Makes too much sense. The Eagles never would have signed him had they known they were going to trade up and select Carson Wentz.
Vikings get Bradford. Eagles get rid of a big contract and pick up a 2017 first-round pick (probably outside the top 20) and a fourth-round pick in 2018.
This doesn’t fully cover for Bridgewater, who seemed headed for kind of a breakout year. But Bradford should be able to get the job done for them. He played well in the preseason, completing 80 percent of his passes, with 2 TDs and an interception.
Worry with Bradford is that he hasn’t been durable. He’s had multiple knee and shoulder injuries. He’s not mobile, and he’s got pencil legs – he’s built like a college quarterback.
When Bridgewater got hurt, we moved Stefon Diggs, Kyle Rudolph, and the other pass catchers on this team down a few spots. Now, with both Bradford and Shaun Hill, we’re figuring the decline of the passing game shouldn’t be too severe. We’ll be moving those guys back up to close to where they were with Bradford.
For the Eagles, Chase Daniel becomes the starter, but he doesn’t look likely to stay there for long. He’s just not good enough. He completed 62 percent in the preseason, with one touchdown and 2 interceptions. Probably before the end of October, the Eagles will stick Wentz in there, and they definitely look like the last-place team in the NFC East.
—Ian Allan