Stressing that he re-signed with Philadelphia hoping to find stability, Sam Bradford acknowledged Tuesday that he skipped the Eagles' initial offseason practices due to frustration with the organization's trade for No. 2 overall pick Carson Wentz.
"I just felt like I needed some time," Bradford said. "I could have stayed here, could have continued to work here, but I'm not sure my head really would have been here those two weeks."
Coach Doug Pederson did his best to quell the unrest, emphasizing Tuesday that Bradford is the "No. 1 guy" at quarterback.
Bradford understands that will remain the case as long as he wins games this season, but he's "not completely naive" to the fact that it will be Wentz's team at some point in the future.
"There's no promises in this business," Bradford added. "It wasn't a long-term deal. It was a two-year deal. I was well aware of that. ... My goal was to play well for the next two years and create that stability that I talked about for pretty much my whole career. Philadelphia is the place I wanted to be. I wanted to play well for the next two years, create that stability, and then sign a longer-term deal and stay here for the rest of my career."
Once it became clear that agent Tom Condon couldn't facilitate a trade with the Broncos, Bradford realized Philadelphia is "still the best place for me to be."
Bradford also made it clear that it was Condon who blindsided the Eagles with a trade request less than a week after the blockbuster deal to move up in the draft. The quarterback added that he trusts Condon will continue to have his best interests at heart.
The ill-fated trade request has predictably rubbed Eagles fans the wrong way.
"I get it," Bradford conceded. "They have a right to be frustrated. ... It's not pretty out there right now."
Despite the initial hurt feelings and the lingering potential for awkwardness in the quarterbacks room, Bradford insists he will help Wentz with the transition to pro football.
"I understand what it's like to be in his position," Bradford explained, referencing A.J. Feeley's mentorship with the Rams in 2010 and 2011.
During his absence, Bradford took solace in the support of his teammates. If he wants to recapture the hearts of Philadelphia's faithful and hold off Wentz all season, he's going to have to keep the Eagles in playoff contention.
