Doug Pederson: 'All I know is if Sam wants to be in Philadelphia, he’ll be in Philadelphia'
INDIANAPOLIS - Both Doug Pederson and Howie Roseman were clear on Wednesday that they want to keep Sam Bradford on the Eagles. But Pederson also put the onus on Bradford, suggesting that the quarterback needs to feel the same way.
"All I know is if Sam wants to be in Philadelphia," Pederson said, "he'll be in Philadelphia."
Roseman, the executive vice president of football operations, will meet with Bradford's agent at the annual scouting combine here this week. Neither Pederson, the new coach, nor Roseman would say whether the team would use the franchise tag on Bradford to ensure he remains. But it sounds as if the team wants to give Bradford a contract offer, and it's up to Bradford to accept it. Pederson said he believes Bradford wants to play in Philadelphia.
"Talking to him on the phone, just being cordial on the phone, and him talking like he wants to be there, I think is important," Pederson said. "It's important to him. And why wouldn't he want to come back to Philadelphia? The success he had at the end of the year. We've expressed we'd love to have him back. Free agency can do funny things to a lot of people, so that's where we're at right now."
The Eagles have until March 1 to apply the franchise tag. If they do not, they have until March 7 to sign Bradford before his agent, Tom Condon, can negotiate with other teams. Free agents are free to sign elsewhere beginning March 9.
Pederson said the Eagles have a "plan in place" to proceed if Bradford is not re-signed, but he would not specify what that plan is. Roseman also said the Eagles have contingencies, but their preference is "getting Plan A."
A contingency plan could include a free agent from another team - Pederson said Kansas City Chiefs backup Chase Daniel is ready to be a starter - or a rookie from this year's draft class, which Pederson said is a "talented group." But Pederson said the performance of the quarterbacks at the combine would not factor into what the Eagles do with Bradford. He added that even if the Eagles re-sign Bradford, they'll consider drafting a quarterback.
The Eagles want Bradford back, in part, because of the way he played during the last seven games of the season. During that stretch, he completed 68.2 percent of his passes for 1,959 yards, 10 touchdowns, and four interceptions. The Eagles won four of those games. Pederson said that gave him "the opportunity to stay in Philadelphia," even though it's a small sample size during a six-year career.
"You can look at it from an X's and O's standpoint," Pederson said. "You can also talk to people that have been around Sam Bradford and understand where he's come as far as his development as a quarterback. The fact that he put himself in a leadership role toward the end of the season proves to me that he can handle going forward this role and the opportunity to start."
When asked why the Eagles would not just use the franchise tag on Bradford if it was as simple as wanting him back, Pederson deferred to Roseman. But that's where the question comes down to what price the team is willing to pay. The franchise tag would require a salary cap hit of around $20 million this season, whereas the team can spread money around - and perhaps pay a lesser salary - if the sides reach a multiyear deal.
"For us, we're keeping all of our options open," Roseman said. "Obviously, our cap space becomes a factor into everything that we do. ... For us, we've got to build the team. We've got to add players and we'd like to add more than one player this offseason."
That would seem to indicate the franchise tag is not the desired route. So the question becomes how much the Eagles are willing to offer Bradford - and how much Bradford wants to return.
"Being a player in his shoes, you have to want to be somewhere," Pederson said. "And I think Sam wants to be in Philadelphia."
@ZBerm www.philly.com/eaglesblog