Last year at 4:01 p.m. ET on the first day of the league year, the Eagles and Rams dropped a bomb on the NFL, swapping quarterbacks Nick Foles and Sam Bradford. This year, its possible that the Eagles could unleash another Bradford-related surprise.
Based on the terms of Bradfords contract, he could be traded by the Eagles.
Per a source with knowledge of the deal, the first $5.5 million installment of Bradfords $11 million signing bonus isnt due until March 18, 2016. The second is due on or before September 1, 2016. So the Eagles have yet to pay Bradford a penny; they could transfer his entire contract to a new team.
Its not unusual for contracts to contain a lag between the signing of a contract and the payment of the signing bonus. But with the Eagles reportedly reaching a deal with quarterback Chase Daniel and with the terms of Daniels deal on complete and total lockdown until 4:00 p.m. ET at the earliest, its entirely possible that the
Eagles will do what Bradford feared theyd do if he had signed an extension after arriving via trade a year ago abruptly flip him to another team, like the Browns or the Texans or the 49ers.
Even though the Eagles havent paid Bradfords bonus, theyd be responsible for the full $11 million under their 2016 cap. But they would get a full credit for the money in 2017, allowing for the bonus money to essentially be carried over by a year. Besides, the move also would clear Bradfords $7 million salary off the books, creating a net cap gain for 2016 of $1.5 million.
Were not reporting that its happening or speculating that it will or otherwise doing anything other than pointing out that, given the structure of Bradfords contract (which per a source with knowledge of the deal does not contain a trade clause), it could happen.
Last year, when Foles and Bradford were swapped, no one saw it coming. This year, if Bradford goes the way of DeMarco Murray and Byron Maxwell and Kiko Alonso, it shouldnt be as big of a surprise as it was in 2015.