The NFL draft is over and Sam Bradford remains on the Philadelphia Eagles' roster.
A trade request is still live, however, and Bradford has skipped the start of offseason workouts. With coach Doug Pederson installing a new offense, the starting quarterback skipping meetings is problematic.
"Anybody that's not in any of the 32 offseason programs is losing valuable time at that club," Pederson admitted on Saturday night, via CSN Philly. "Anybody that's not in the offseason program, yes, would lose the time."
With Chase Daniel well-versed in the system, Bradford missing time could put him behind the eight ball when it comes time to battle for the starting spot. Yes, the Eagles have continued to insist Bradford is the starter, but that doesn't mean things can't change when they hit the field for training camp.
Pederson was asked at what point Bradford loses the role of starter, especially if the quarterback misses a lot of time.
"I think it depends on when he does come back and how fast we can catch him up and put him in that situation and see where he's at, at that time," Pederson said. "Again, nobody makes the team in April. We're not making any roster adjustments and letting people go. It's all about evaluation and he's in that evaluation process. But as I've said in the past, he was one, Chase is two and we're moving on from there."
With Carson Wentz drafted as the future of the franchise, perhaps Bradford sitting out this spring in protest might be good for the No 2 overall pick. Without Bradford gobbling up snaps, Wentz should get more reps -- which he needs -- and one-on-one tutoring.
Pederson said he hasn't spoken to Bradford recently, but reiterated the team isn't looking to get rid of the quarterback.
"In regards to Sam, obviously, he's still on the roster," Pederson said. "We mentioned before he's not going anywhere, he's our guy. And I look forward to the day he comes back. It's unfortunate the situation, but it's also a voluntary process, as you know. You can't do much about that. The minute he comes back, we catch him up and we just keep on going forward."
The Eagles hold all the cards, especially after the Denver Broncos and New York Jets drafted quarterbacks. Bradford sitting out in protest at this point only hurts his chances of actually keeping a starting job for 2016.
