Postgame Perspective: Questions at QB as season ends

Last offseason, the Eagles and Chip Kelly made the decision to trade Nick Foles to St. Louis for Sam Bradford. The move was a huge risk, given Bradford's injury history.

The 2015 season for Bradford was going to be about proving whether he was a capable starting quarterback that could stay healthy and if it was worth it for the Eagles to keep him.

17 weeks and 16 games later, the answer is still unclear.

Bradford has a modest season, all things considered. The Eagles offense never truly got into the rhythm it was expected to display. Bradford missed two games with a shoulder injury, but became more comfortable on his feet as the season progressed.

Numbers-wise, Bradford's season is marred by unfortunate mistakes and struggles from the receivers. Bradford completed 346 of 532 passes, a completion percentage of 65 percent, for 3,725 yards and threw 19 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.

For Bradford, this is essentially a career year. It's the highest total yardage he has thrown for in his career. 19 touchdowns falls two short of his career high of 21, set in his last full 16-game season in 2012. His 65 percent completion rate is also the highest for his career.

Now comes the big question of the offseason, do you keep Bradford, even for just one more season under the franchise tag, to see if he fits with the new head coach, or do you move on and start fresh?

In some cases, it's easy to say stick with Bradford. His numbers were good enough to bring him back, and he certainly has said he still wants to be here, but does also want to gauge what the new coach has in mind for him. In the same sense, he has the support of owner Jeffrey Lurie, who specifically mentioned that he fits into various systems, and teammates.

But there is the case of salary. If the Eagles use the franchise tag on Bradford, it could cost them as much as $25 million. If they looked to make a new deal with Bradford, it could cost similar amounts and be a commitment that involves guaranteed pay.

Bradford is going to want long-term security, so he's sure to be looking elsewhere regardless. That said, playing against a weak division, Bradford still had struggles. It is a very unpredictable market for Bradford, given the injuries, early-season struggles and potential price tag.

There are a lot of steps to be taken before Bradford's fate is determined. But in his final game, he certainly played well enough to draw consideration. With 14 games played this season, 13 under Chip Kelly, you wonder if that was enough to convince the Eagles that he holds the keys to the team's progress on the field.

Kevin Durso is managing editor for Eagledelphia. Follow him on Twitter @Kevin_Durso.