The Cleveland Browns are still interested in a Sam Bradford trade with the Philadelphia Eagles and while a trade is unlikely, head coach Chip Kelly could consider moving u to get Marcus Mariota in the upcoming NFL draft and this comes after the team signed Tim Tebow and after they have put Matt Barkley on the block and he could be traded.
The Eagles have been linked to Mariota all offseason and while it looks like a deal is not going to happen, the draft is still days away and plenty can develop in that time. According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, the Browns remain interested in trading for Bradford, but that the deal is "not likely to happen" with the Eagles. The Browns reportedly offered a first round pick for Bradford earlier this offseason and they also have "sniffed around" on Mike Glennon as well.
The Eagles traded for Bradford from the Rams for Nick Foles and after that deal, the media immediately speculated on Kelly's next move. Mariota was brought up as a potential target by many and this came after Kelly spoke to the media and said that Bradford would not be a trade chip. Mariota could remain an option, but if Kelly isn't trading Bradford, it could be very tough and costly to pull off.
ESPN's Chris Mortensen reports that the Eagles are not looking to trade Bradford and that likely means any deal for Mariota is dead if that is true. Kelly may want Mariota and he may want Mariota badly, but he likely is weighing the risk of giving up a number of draft picks for one player. Kelly may see Bradford and the picks as more valuable than Mariota on his own and since the Eagles pick so high in the first round, it may not be worth it to move up.
Matt Barkley is reportedly on the trade block, as Pro Football Talk reports that he could be traded after the team signed Tim Tebow. Barkley has barely played over the past two years as the third string quarterback and now that Tebow is signed, Kelly is looking to move him. The team could release Barkley, but they may want to see if they can at least get a draft pick for him.
Barkley was third string last season and played in just one game when Mark Sanchez took over for Nick Foles following his injury. Kelly likely did not sign Tebow to just stick around during the summer, as Tebow can be a sort of special weapon for him on offense this season.
Barkley has not done much, but a team in need of a backup could be willing to take a chance on the former USC star. Kelly is putting a lot of his eggs in Bradford's basket, as he is coming off of two serious knee injuries. Kelly is betting that Bradford can bounce back and in reality, he got as steal in a certain sense, as he gave up a couple picks to get a former number one overall pick. Bradford is very talented, now Kelly has to see if he can stay healthy.
