As we wrote earlier, ESPN's Adam Caplan joined Joe DeCamera on 97.5 the Fanatic yesterday evening for his weekly appearance. He discussed what he believes will happen with the next Eagles' personnel chief. Beyond that, he also gave his thoughts on where things stand with impending free-agent Sam Bradford.
"Because we don't know who will be running personnel and we don't know how much that person, who will be heavily involved, we don't how much expertise he has on the draft and free-agency, it's hard to answer that question. But I was on with (Harry) Mayes and (Rob) Ellis, I'll just repeat what I said: If the Eagles aren't totally sure about the top three quarterbacks, because they have to make a decision way before that on the franchise tag, use the franchise tag. And you keep him for one year. Bradford played really well the last six games, and that was with a bad offensive-line, that was with an inconsistent running-game and he was playing with a bad shoulder. It's, I don't want to say impossible, but it's going to be extremely difficult to go past one year, because his agent Tom Condon is a smart guy. We'll get in, the next time we are on, about the contracts and where I think that number will go. $25 million is what my colleague Jim Trotter said, but he's not going to get that. But Condon always goes with one number and he never moves off of it, so that's a problem."
"It's (using the franchise-tag) the only one or he walks, that's the way I see it. I will be stunned if they get an extension done. A long-term deal, stunned."
Caplan was also quick to point out that Bradford could make over $40 million if the Eagles franchised him in both 2016 and 2017, so he says there's little incentive, other than a bit of security, for Bradford to accept a contract where he makes in the range of $17 million per season.
Related read: Why it made sense for Sam Bradford to ask Eagles for $25 million per season
From the Eagles' perspective, while franchising Bradford will likely cost them more in 2016 than they probably hoped to allocate towards Bradford, it may make the most sense for them. It protects them from losing him for nothing, they are only locked into one season with him, could technically trade him and if they discussed a long-term deal, they wouldn't be bidding against other teams.
