NFL free agency: Sam Bradford, Mike Glennon signings prove Cardinals are lost
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NFL free agency: Sam Bradford, Mike Glennon signings prove Cardinals are lost
[uk.sports.yahoo.com]
Cardinals fans should be closely monitoring whether Sam Bradford makes it through the team's physical exam.
It might be the best pass he has all year.
The most head-scratching move of 2018 NFL free agency involves a quarterback who Ravens safety Eric Weddle on Twitter proclaimed "has been paid more for nothing than anyone in (the) history of (the) NFL."
It's one thing for a media member to level such scathing criticism. It's far more damning when a player gets publicly eviscerated by one of his own, especially a peer as accomplished and well-regarded as Weddle.
NFL FREE AGENCY:
Winners, losers of open market
Yet the Cardinals not only are reportedly set to sign Bradford to a one-year, $20 million contract that includes $15 million guaranteed when it appears no other team had anywhere near as much interest. Arizona reportedly is doubling-down on the QB stiffs with the intention to also add Mike Glennon on a one-year deal.
The Cardinals could have more quarterbacking success if 73-year-old Jim Hart was lured out of retirement.
At least the left knee of that franchise legend might be in better shape than that of Bradford.
Having torn his ACL in 2013 and in 2014, Bradford began experiencing problems once again after he led Minnesota to victory in the 2017 season-opener against New Orleans. He missed the next three games before retuning in what proved the saddest Monday night quarterbacking performance for the Vikings since Josh Freeman was thrown to the wolves without knowing the playbook in 2013.
No NFL player I’ve covered in 23 seasons has ever looked like he wanted to stay on the field less than the pain-riddled Bradford did against Chicago at Soldier Field.
Vikings coach Mike Zimmer, who never should have put or kept Bradford out there in the first place, mercifully switched to Case Keenum just before halftime. Bradford was finally cleared to resume playing in January following a clean-up surgery, but Minnesota understandably kept him benched after Keenum thrived while leading the team into the playoffs as the NFC’s No. 2 seed.
NFL FREE AGENCY:
Tracking signings, trades, cuts
Glennon's 2017 season was even worse that of Bradford’s outside of the ridiculous $18 million he received to sign with Chicago as a free agent. Glennon, who joined the Bears believing he had a legitimate chance to become the team’s franchise quarterback, immediately knew his days were numbered when Chicago made Mitchell Trubisky the draft’s No. 2 overall pick just six weeks after his signing.
The end came after four pedestrian games in which Glennon had committed eight turnovers and gotten sacked eight times while leading an offense that averaged a paltry 15.3 points. Like in Tampa Bay the previous two seasons with Jameis Winston, Glennon spent the rest of the season on the sideline watching a neophyte QB (Trubisky) take his lumps.
After all, if the Bears were going to lose with Glennon and a lousy supporting cast, anyway, getting Trubisky some much-needed game experience made far more sense in building toward the future.
The Cardinals did not display such foresight at quarterback in the previous four years under then-head coach Bruce Arians. Only one QB, 2014 fourth-round pick Logan Thomas, was drafted in that span even though Arizona knew the clock was ticking on a quickly aging Carson Palmer.
Logan wasn't just a washout. He isn't even playing the position anymore, having converted to tight end in salvaging his NFL career with Buffalo.
Arizona’s two backups in 2017, journeymen Drew Stanton and Blaine Gabbert, also showed no signs of being capable replacements for Palmer when they got to play as the latter ended his career on injured reserve.
This left Arizona and new head coach Steve Wilks in a bind entering the offseason. The Cardinals’ salary cap situation is such that bidding for Kirk Cousins, who will be signing a mega-deal with Minnesota, couldn't happen. Others QBs available through either free agency or trade like Keenum, Alex Smith, Tyrod Taylor, AJ McCarron, Teddy Bridgewater, ex-Cardinal Josh McCown or — dare I say it — Colin Kaepernick apparently weren't affordable or as appealing as Bradford from either a financial or Xs-and-Os standpoint.
Based upon the staggering $114 million Bradford has earned in eight previous NFL seasons, Arizona now joins the Rams, Eagles and Vikings as teams who spent big bucks believing he could be a bona fide franchise QB.
Best,
Laram
[uk.sports.yahoo.com]
Cardinals fans should be closely monitoring whether Sam Bradford makes it through the team's physical exam.
It might be the best pass he has all year.
The most head-scratching move of 2018 NFL free agency involves a quarterback who Ravens safety Eric Weddle on Twitter proclaimed "has been paid more for nothing than anyone in (the) history of (the) NFL."
It's one thing for a media member to level such scathing criticism. It's far more damning when a player gets publicly eviscerated by one of his own, especially a peer as accomplished and well-regarded as Weddle.
NFL FREE AGENCY:
Winners, losers of open market
Yet the Cardinals not only are reportedly set to sign Bradford to a one-year, $20 million contract that includes $15 million guaranteed when it appears no other team had anywhere near as much interest. Arizona reportedly is doubling-down on the QB stiffs with the intention to also add Mike Glennon on a one-year deal.
The Cardinals could have more quarterbacking success if 73-year-old Jim Hart was lured out of retirement.
At least the left knee of that franchise legend might be in better shape than that of Bradford.
Having torn his ACL in 2013 and in 2014, Bradford began experiencing problems once again after he led Minnesota to victory in the 2017 season-opener against New Orleans. He missed the next three games before retuning in what proved the saddest Monday night quarterbacking performance for the Vikings since Josh Freeman was thrown to the wolves without knowing the playbook in 2013.
No NFL player I’ve covered in 23 seasons has ever looked like he wanted to stay on the field less than the pain-riddled Bradford did against Chicago at Soldier Field.
Vikings coach Mike Zimmer, who never should have put or kept Bradford out there in the first place, mercifully switched to Case Keenum just before halftime. Bradford was finally cleared to resume playing in January following a clean-up surgery, but Minnesota understandably kept him benched after Keenum thrived while leading the team into the playoffs as the NFC’s No. 2 seed.
NFL FREE AGENCY:
Tracking signings, trades, cuts
Glennon's 2017 season was even worse that of Bradford’s outside of the ridiculous $18 million he received to sign with Chicago as a free agent. Glennon, who joined the Bears believing he had a legitimate chance to become the team’s franchise quarterback, immediately knew his days were numbered when Chicago made Mitchell Trubisky the draft’s No. 2 overall pick just six weeks after his signing.
The end came after four pedestrian games in which Glennon had committed eight turnovers and gotten sacked eight times while leading an offense that averaged a paltry 15.3 points. Like in Tampa Bay the previous two seasons with Jameis Winston, Glennon spent the rest of the season on the sideline watching a neophyte QB (Trubisky) take his lumps.
After all, if the Bears were going to lose with Glennon and a lousy supporting cast, anyway, getting Trubisky some much-needed game experience made far more sense in building toward the future.
The Cardinals did not display such foresight at quarterback in the previous four years under then-head coach Bruce Arians. Only one QB, 2014 fourth-round pick Logan Thomas, was drafted in that span even though Arizona knew the clock was ticking on a quickly aging Carson Palmer.
Logan wasn't just a washout. He isn't even playing the position anymore, having converted to tight end in salvaging his NFL career with Buffalo.
Arizona’s two backups in 2017, journeymen Drew Stanton and Blaine Gabbert, also showed no signs of being capable replacements for Palmer when they got to play as the latter ended his career on injured reserve.
This left Arizona and new head coach Steve Wilks in a bind entering the offseason. The Cardinals’ salary cap situation is such that bidding for Kirk Cousins, who will be signing a mega-deal with Minnesota, couldn't happen. Others QBs available through either free agency or trade like Keenum, Alex Smith, Tyrod Taylor, AJ McCarron, Teddy Bridgewater, ex-Cardinal Josh McCown or — dare I say it — Colin Kaepernick apparently weren't affordable or as appealing as Bradford from either a financial or Xs-and-Os standpoint.
Based upon the staggering $114 million Bradford has earned in eight previous NFL seasons, Arizona now joins the Rams, Eagles and Vikings as teams who spent big bucks believing he could be a bona fide franchise QB.
Best,
Laram
