Nick Piccone
Chip Kelly hinted at his Monday press conference he was interested in signing Sam Bradford to an extension. Whether that’d be the best move for the team still remains a question, but Bradford has been playing well for the most part this season – especially since the game in Dallas that the Eagles won in overtime.
We’ve seen glimpses of what he could bring to this offense, and the way he stepped up in the pocket against the Bills was paramount to his success this past Sunday. So, today, he was asked if he’s thought about signing a contract extension with the Eagles, and he didn’t sound too much in a hurry to get one done.
Sam Bradford: Kind of like I tell you guys every time you ask something like that. Um, you know, I’ll get into that in the offseason. I’ll think about that in the offseason. But, you know, I’m not too worried about what’s going to happen three or four months down the line. We’ve got a big game against Arizona this week and that’s all I’m focused on.
Q: The fact that Chip indicated that he would like to have you here long-term, does that mean anything to you?
SB: Um, obviously it’s great to hear those things. But, you know, I don’t think that really means a whole lot and it’s not really gonna change the way I approach things. I’m sure I’ll pay more attention to that stuff in the offseason.
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Q: You’ve been here a while now. Do you like it? Do you like the area?
SB: Things are great right now. We won two games in a row, so they’re awesome.
Q: Do you feel settled in here? Do you like it?
SB: Yeah. I do like it here. Obviously, it’s a lot different than anywhere I’ve ever been before. But, you know what, I really do enjoy it here.
Q: Do you envision yourself testing the free agent market, Sam?
SB: Like I said, that’s a couple months away. Um, you know, I’m really just worried about these next three weeks. Obviously this week against Arizona.
Bradford didn’t really sound like a guy who wanted to sign an extension with the Eagles right there. Then again, his season has pretty much guaranteed he’ll find a deal from someone for next season, even if it isn’t the Eagles. It’s interesting that he did throw in the statement about this being different than any other place he’s been before, which could be seen as a negative by some.
Bradford’s going to get a deal next season, and whoever negotiates with him will be dealing with Tom Condon, who was able to get Alex Smith $68 million. It wouldn’t surprise me if Bradford will just wait for a team to bust out the checkbook and give him whatever he’s asking for.
Audio of Bradford below.