Bradford "doesn't view himself as a stopgap," QB, agent says of trade demand

This would seem to be exactly the sort of thing the Eagles were trying to avoid when Jeffrey Lurie, Howie Roseman and Doug Pederson met with Sam Bradford before last Wednesday's minicamp practice, to deliver in three-part harmony the news that they had traded up to second overall in the draft to get a quarterback, and to reassure Bradford that he was their 2016 starter.

Welp.

Maybe a follow-up meeting or two would have been in order, because by Monday morning, agent Tom Condon was calling Roseman with news of Bradford wanting to be traded. When the Eagles gathered for phase 2 of their offseason program Monday, Bradford was not there. Condon said on Sirius XM NFL Radio Monday evening that Bradford would sit out voluntary activities.

You want your starting quarterback to attend voluntary activities, especially when you're installing a new offense. Also, the Eagles are expected to draft North Dakota State quarterback Carson Wentz on Thursday, a player they'd intended to carefully nurture behind Bradford and backup Chase Daniel this season. Having Bradford at the helm, for $18 million this season, was going to be a strong signal to the rest of the roster that this will be a competitive team, not a team starting a rebuilding project.

If you're starting Chase Daniel, and your rookie draftee with 23 college starts is a snapped ankle away from taking over, you are a team starting a rebuilding project.

So the Eagles did not leap to honor Bradford's request. A source close to the situation repeated what Roseman said last week, that Bradford would not be traded.

"I want to reiterate our support for Sam Bradford. He is our starting quarterback," Roseman said Monday after agreeing to answer a few questions about the news of the day during a previously scheduled predraft interview with Comcast SportsNet's John Clark. "These workouts are voluntary. We look forward to seeing Sam in the near future."

Clark asked Roseman if he was worried that Bradford wouldn't show up when it's mandatory — a three-day camp June 7-9, then training camp in late July. "No, I think you talk about Sam and what a pro he is," Roseman said.

"I think as a competitor, emotions come into play," Roseman told Clark, addressing Bradford's reaction to last week's trade. "That's what makes these guys great players."

The Eagles have said all offseason that they intend to draft a quarterback this year; that was part of the backdrop when Bradford signed only a two-year extension in March that can easily be shortened to one year. Obviously, it wasn't clear they intended to trade up to draft a QB, using resources Bradford might have hoped would be expended elsewhere to make the team better.

"I'm up for anyone who helps us win games," Bradford said last week before the trade, when asked about the possibility of a quarterback being added.

In his radio interview, Condon said: "Sam wants to go someplace and not only be the starter there, but be the starter longterm ... He doesn't view himself as a stopgap quarterback ... He doesn't want to be there holding a place card, and then wondering where he's going to go at the end of the year."

Condon said Bradford was happy with his contract, "then Chase came on. They paid him a substantial amount of money to be on the roster as well. And I don't think anybody foresaw (the Eagles getting) the second pick in the draft ... I completely understand from Howie's standpoint, and the Philadelphia Eagles. They signed Sam, they had no idea they were going to be able to come up and get the second pick in the draft."

Condon questioned how teammates might view a starter in such a situation, and how fans would react if Bradford didn't play well.

"Sam would like to forgo all that," Condon said, though he said Bradford understands he is under contract.

Daniel, meanwhile, tweeted, perhaps pointedly:

"Great day Phase 2 of the offseason program ... Offense looked sharp as ever! Still a long way to go, but a great start! #FlyEaglesFly."

@LesBowen

Blog: philly.com/Eaglesblog