:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/48963537/usa-today-9008223.0.jpg)
It seems like there's an increasing feeling that the Philadelphia Eagles will keep Sam Bradford. It started on Sunday with Mike Garafolo reporting that the Eagles "upped their offer" to the impending free agent quarterback. Garafolo further explained his report in an interview with 97.5 The Fanatic on Monday morning. As transcribed by Birds 24/7:
"They're just trying to get this done, and send a message that, 'Hey, even though this is a guy that Chip [Kelly] brought in, we like him.' Howie [Roseman] likes him, Doug Pederson likes him. I gather Frank Reich likes him; John DeFelippo, the quarterbacks coach, likes him. So that was the message in all this: as one person put it to me, Howie is making it clear he wants it done. And usually when Howie says he wants a deal done, that deal usually gets done. That was the point behind the Eagles making the offer."
"You're talking in the $12-15 [million per year] range," he said.
Now Les Bowen is chiming in.
I’ve been a bit of a skeptic on question of how hard the Eagles are trying to get Bradford signed, but I’m told they are making a real push.
— Les Bowen (@LesBowen) February 29, 2016
I think tomorrow at 4 pm, the tag deadline, could be big in the Bradford talks. Once u lose control of rights, talks change.
— Les Bowen (@LesBowen) February 29, 2016
Don’t think Eagles r out of it if it doesn’t get done tomorrow, but I think momentum fades, Bradford camp looks to March 7 "legal tempering"
— Les Bowen (@LesBowen) February 29, 2016
Bradford agent Tom Condon and Howie Roseman have not talked yet today, but they probably will, i’m told.
— Les Bowen (@LesBowen) February 29, 2016
Another thing I had doubted was how much Bradford camp wanted him here. I’m told they see this as a good situation going forward, no issue
— Les Bowen (@LesBowen) February 29, 2016
And then there are these tweets.
Expect Bradford and #Eagles to announce contract agreement soon.
— Benjamin Allbright (@AllbrightNFL) February 29, 2016
It's 90+% https://t.co/wWng5ysyni
— Joe Banner (@JoeBanner13) February 29, 2016
I always thought there was better than 60%chance #Eagles wanted to resign Sam Bradford. Crazy money not there on market either @FOX29philly
— Howard Eskin (@howardeskin) February 29, 2016
Sam Bradford's agent, Tom Condon, discussed Bradford on SiriusXM -- said he will talk with Eagles again today: https://t.co/lCmBT6bQ21
— Zach Berman (@ZBerm) February 29, 2016
The Eagles have publicly maintained that they want Bradford back but they've also noted it takes two sides to get a deal done. There has been some skepticism about how much Bradford is willing to re-sign in Philadelphia, although there is also evidence to suggest mutual interest.
It'll be interesting to see what kind of deal the Eagles work out with Bradford, assuming both sides agree to one. Bradford did not show enough in 2015 to warrant a long-term deal as the team's franchise quarterback. In the same vein, Bradford might want to only sign a short-term deal so he can test free agency again in the near future. It seems like Bradford's current market has dried up, which means the NFL doesn't think very much of him.
The NFL franchise tag window closes at 4:00 PM ET tomorrow on Tuesday, March 1. The franchise tag number for a quarterback is $19.9 million while the transition tag is nearly $17.7 million. It's been reported that the Eagles aren't expected to tag Bradford. Philadelphia has until Monday, March 7 until Bradford's agent can start negotiating with other NFL teams in the legal tampering period. NFL free agency officially begins at 4:00 PM ET on Wednesday, March 9.