Jason Cole on Sam Bradford. Kevin Wheeler show E$PN 101

[Dagonet]

Jason pretty much says if Sam is cut by the Rams he'll do better salary wise instead of restructing. He says Sam doesn't owe the Rams anything. Why should he take a pay cut if he can get a longer term contract somewhere else?

That said, I'm thinking in this scenario, why not sign a FA QB, and shop Sam around for draft picks? We need them this year..

 

[Robocop]

this is a scary theory. I didn't really think about it like this before. gotta know the cap space these QB needed teams have and how serious they are. comes down to Sam and how much he listens to his money hungry agent or his angle on his shoulder.

 

[Dagonet]

this is a scary theory. I didn't really think about it like this before. gotta know the cap space these QB needed teams have and how serious they are. comes down to Sam and how much he listens to his money hungry agent or his angle on his shoulder.

I agree. Even with the injuries, a very solid point can be made that Sam has all the leveraged.

 

[OC_Ram]

Remember Amendola? He was a great receiver for the Rams yet he was cut Why should Sam be different?

 

[Varg6]

Gee I don't know--a moral compass? How could he feel good about trying to get more money from a team that sacrificed so much for him? Obviously things didn't work out the way anyone intended but my goodness, have a heart. He owes the Rams a lot in my opinion. We paid him handsomely and got very little in return. Just optimism because he is a talented QB...

 

[snackdaddy]

I know the leverage thing goes both ways. But I always felt Bradford had more leverage than the Rams. Its a quarterback driven league. Some teams can be very desperate for one. Look at us in the second half of 2013 and all of 2014. Many people felt we woulda been a playoff contender with a healthy Bradford. Now we're desperate for a quarterback. And we have one. One with question marks, but we have a guy some other teams would be willing to overpay for.

I just don't believe the Rams would be willing to let him walk. We fans can say "hit the road Sam, you haven't done enough to earn it". But would the team do that? I don't think so. I think all we can do is hope he's willing to restructure to a more incentive laden deal. If he stays healthy and leads them to the playoffs, then it would be worth it. Maybe give him some guaranteed money along with the incentives on an extension. I think thats the only way he restructures. If they said they want a pay cut for his last year, he'll say 'Pay me my 12 mil or release me. I'll get it from another team". I'm sure someone out there would be willing to pay him.

 

[Dagonet]

Gee I don't know--a moral compass? How could he feel good about trying to get more money from a team that sacrificed so much for him? Obviously things didn't work out the way anyone intended but my goodness, have a heart. He owes the Rams a lot in my opinion. We paid him handsomely and got very little in return. Just optimism because he is a talented QB...

One can't blame Sam for that. I would say blame the system at the time he was drafted. The #1 picks were getting paid ridiculously until the new CBA. I also can't blame the injuries on him. He needed a good OL and bad decisions imho were made. I shall not get into the offensive weapons he had.

Gotta say one thing. I have learned from this. You build the pieces of your team before a QB. A highly touted QB can't fix all the problems. You need an organization/team in place before that.

I can see your point, but to me Sam just took waht was offered to him and the system allowed for.

 

[Dagonet]

On my comment in the original post.. I understand you won't get much value draft pick wise for a QB making $12 M in the last year of his contract. I was thinking the Rams could do as such in MLB trades. Work out a deal with someone and let Sam negotiate a new contract with them before the trade is finalized? Not sure if the NFL allows this though as MLB does. You would definitely get more picks that route.

 

[Dagonet]

Thank you Sir.. I just wasn't sure. That kind of cements it. Plus it was after the new CBA.

That said, I'm in with Sam, but we could use more picks and was thinking this might be a scenario is all. Thanks again man.

 

[-X-]

Remember Amendola? He was a great receiver for the Rams yet he was cut Why should Sam be different?

Two reasons.

1. Amendola is a slot receiver and Bradford is a QB1.
2. Amendola wasn't cut, and instead became an unrestricted free agent who signed a 5 yr/$28M contract with the ********.

 

[Dagonet]

Two reasons.

1. Amendola is a slot receiver and Bradford is a QB1.
2. Amendola wasn't cut, and instead became an unrestricted free agent who signed a 5 yr/$28M contract with the ********.

And what did that UFA do for them this year? I hate it too man, but just saying.. We're freaking jinxed..

 

[WestCoastRam]

Again, I think Jason may not know the ins-and-outs of the contract situation with Bradford. We can hold on to him at his current salary into September. No team will sign him to anything much once the season starts (maybe if he had been fully healthy). That pretty much negates his leverage. If anything, I'd say it's dead even between Rams and Bradford. He'll stay. The number will get knocked down. Probably not as much as it could have been had the Rams had a bit more leverage.

 

[Dr C. Hill]

I am a Bradford guy, so I'm just putting my cards on the table.

1) Why should he have to restructure, or play for a home town discount? Would you do that at your job? His knees got destroyed for the rest of his life and people act like he got away with something cashing his checks. They saw him on the sidelines every week after his surgery, and were screaming that he was STEALING MONEY! Wait,What?

2) If the Rams cut Bradford, (and they won't) where do they go next? Are you going to trade up, and mortgage your future on a criminal and start over? Are you going to wait for a project to fall to you? Or, are you good with what we had last year?

Fisher and company need to win some games, now. You can't say you are going to start rebuilding in year 4 of the rebuild. They built their house on Sam. I have made no secret of the fact that I think Fisher is a mediocre at best Coach, but he is not an idiot. He walked down the aisle with Bradford. That is his guy.

 

[ram007]

at the risk of repeating myself, rams have zero leverage. Did you guys look at QB depth behind Winston and marriota in draft and all QBs in FA? and where else would rams go besides Bradford? Bradford has rams by their proverbial balls

 

[jrry32]

at the risk of repeating myself, rams have zero leverage. Did you guys look at QB depth behind Winston and marriota in draft and all QBs in FA? and where else would rams go besides Bradford? Bradford has rams by their proverbial balls

They have each other by the balls. Rams have no better options while Bradford won't make near $13 million on the open market.

IMO, Bradford is a confident guy. I think he's aware that a one year deal is a good thing for him if he can get on the field. Because if he has a strong year, the Rams are in a situation where they have to choose between paying him or letting him hit the market and having someone else pay him.

If he hits the market this year, it does him no good. His value has bottomed out.

It's in his best interest to negotiate down to what he'd make if he were to hit the market this year. IMO, that's around $8 million.

Because if he stays healthy and does what we all know he's capable of, the Rams are going to have to give him a big money extension, franchise him(which means big money), or let him hit the market(which also means big money).

 

[Memphis Ram]

The Drew Brees analogy hold little water, IMO. Brees only missed 6 of 64 games prior and had a very good final season in San Diego prior to becoming a free agent.

Bradford, on the other hand, has missed 29 of his last 64 games and hasn't played a full season in 2 years and hasn't come close to Drew Brees 27 TD vs. 7 INT 2004 season, even when healthy.

 

[Merlin]

Whatever. If Sam is smart he will redo his contract so the Rams will have money for one of the actual good FA OL, because he's gonna want to have another vet up front to go with what will be a couple more young guns. If he doesn't agree to it, then he's a greedy moron and it will backfire on him.

So IMO it will get done, because Sam is intelligent and practical.

 

[OC_Ram]

Two reasons.

1. Amendola is a slot receiver and Bradford is a QB1.
2. Amendola wasn't cut, and instead became an unrestricted free agent who signed a 5 yr/$28M contract with the ********.

I knew my language "cut" might confuse but you know what was meant.....we let him walk Bradford and his #1 qb status holds little merit if he's not on the field. I value a quality qb as much as the next guy but it's going to be a nightmare if he is once again injured and unable to play. That is a risk worth taking at the right price. We have seen bigger/better name qb's, Warner , Brady take a cut to help their team. If Bradford refuses to do so then he should be cut.

 

[-X-]

We have seen bigger/better name qb's, Warner , Brady take a cut to help their team. If Bradford refuses to do so then he should be cut.

No we haven't. We've seen them restructure and defer immediate gains to future gains.
Neither of them ever gave away money for the sake of helping the team. They just took it later or in different ways.

And no offense to you, but I'm growing weary of the ultimatums by fans about Bradford 'refusing' to do this or that.
Perhaps it would just be best to let the process play out before insinuating or speculating that he has evil intentions or is greedy.