Eagles Mailbag: Sam Bradford getting injured isn't necessarily the worst case scenario at quarterback

Welcome back to the BGN Mailbag. This post will be here every weekend from now until Chip Kelly's next secret marriage is over. Thanks to everyone on Twitter who sent in a question. Let's talk some Philadelphia Eagles football.

To the Q&A...

@makarov_ asks: What would be the worst results at QB this season for Eagles? Good, but not great play? Great, but injuries? Plain mediocre?

Good question. One could argue the obvious worst case scenario is Sam Bradford getting hurt early on in the season. It would be far from ideal for the Eagles to see the quarterback they acquired in exchange for a 2016 second round pick and Nick Foles go down before he can prove what he's capable of doing in Chip Kelly's offense. However, the Eagles do have some protection in case of injury. If Bradford doesn't play a single snap, the Eagles would get a 2016 third round pick from St. Louis. If Bradford plays less than 50% of the snaps, the Rams would surrender a 2016 fourth round pick.

With that in mind, I don't think Bradford getting injured early on is necessarily the worst scenario. Instead, the worst situation for the Eagles would involve Bradford playing about 51% of the snaps while looking mediocre and then getting hurt. At that point, the Eagles wouldn't get a pick in return. It would also be tough to make a decision on Bradford after the season when his contract runs up. It's easy to say the Eagles should move on at that point, but their options could be limited. They still might not be picking high enough in the draft order to get a rookie to build around. Mark Sanchez is still under contract through the 2016 season, but he's likely not a long-term solution to the position.

The Eagles' quarterback situation sure isn't great. Even if Bradford does stay healthy, it won't matter much if he's only mediocre. For their sake, the team really needs him to show promise of being a franchise quarterback.

@KwKwilliams856 asks: Does Sam Bradford get extended?

This question was asked before the recent report about Bradford intending to play out the 2015 season on the final year of his contract. So with the benefit of new information, I will say that he won't get extended before this season. The Eagles should have interest in trying to lock Bradford up while his value is low, but Bradford has no reason to agree to a deal like that. He's made plenty of money in his career to this point: he got $50 million guaranteed as a rookie. He's not dumb. He's seen what Kelly's offense has done for the likes of Vick, Foles, and Sanchez. He knows he's talented and he can put up some big numbers if he stays healthy.

@IgglezHighlight asks: Do you think Byron Maxwell is the real deal?

I do. And perhaps more importantly, so does a guy (the great Danny Kelly) who watched him play very often for Seattle. While it's true the Eagles desperately needed to sign a cornerback, I wouldn't call Maxwell a desperation signing. He perfectly fits what the Eagles like in their cornerbacks. He's tall, he's long, and he's fast. He doesn't get beat over the top. He can hold up in run support. He's also well-tested from having played opposite of a cornerback who quarterbacks liked to avoid in Richard Sherman. This isn't a Nnamdi Asomugha situation where the ball wasn't being thrown his way.

@SteeMurda220 asks: Who ends up with the most playing time in the slot this season?

I fully expect Jordan Matthews to take the bulk of his snaps in the slot, though he might be used on the outside a little more often than he was last year. Matthews mostly lined up in the slot during spring practices.

As for the defense, well, it's going to be Brandon Boykin yet again.

@Number2Allander: How can I pass the time until Eagles Camp starts?

Just seven days to go now! My advice is predictable: stay here at BGN. We'll have plenty of training camp preview coverage this week. Some other great things to do involve me shamelessly plugging myself: follow me on Twitter (@BrandonGowton), like the BGN Facebook page, subscribe to the BGN Radio podcast (also rate it and leave a review), and don't forget to purchase the Eagles Almanac.

@Ringsdorf21 asks: Is a hot dog a sandwich?

No. A hot dog itself is not a sandwich. But if you meant to ask if a hot dog in a bun is a sandwich ... yes. Yes, it is. Josh Huff already explained it well.