Sam Bradford is one of the top free agents headed to the market this offseason and teams like the Houston Texans, NY Jets, Cleveland Browns and San Francisco 49ers could be interested in signing him if he doesn't return to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Bradford is coming into free agency after having a solid year with the Eagles and he is expected to be a target for a number of teams if he makes it onto the open market. The Eagles are likely to at least make an attempt to keep Bradford on a new deal and if that doesn't work out, the team also has the franchise tag as an option to use. According to Adam Caplan at ESPN, the Eagles may end up using the tag, as Caplan said that he would be "stunned if they get an extension done" this offseason.
Caplan spoke about the situation on 97.5 The Fanatic and said that "it's going to be extremely difficult to go past one year" for Bradford at this point. The two sides spoke about a contract extension earlier in the season and Jim Trotter at ESPN reported that Bradford asked for $25 million per season. The two sides did not come close to agreeing on a deal and that could lead to Bradford ending up elsewhere this offseason.
Doug Pederson is taking over as head coach for Chip Kelly and he called Bradford a "top-notch quarterback" in his opening press conference with the team. While that doesn't mean that Pederson and the Eagles will definitely keep Bradford, it's likely the team at least makes an effort to keep him in Philadelphia. Tight end Zach Ertz just signed a contract extension and he spoke with CSN Philly about the situation, saying that Bradford "wants to be in Philadelphia" next season.
While all that doesn't mean Bradford will stay with the Eagles, it means that the team at least will try and keep him in the fold. If Bradford does leave, he likely will have a number of suitors on the market, as a number of teams are searching for new starting quarterbacks this offseason. Pro Football Focus put together a list for some of the best landing spots for Bradford based on his skillset and performance last season, listing the Eagles, 49ers, Cleveland Browns, Jets and Houston Texans as potential destinations.
Bradford did not put up crazy numbers last season for the Eagles with 19 touchdowns, 14 interceptions and 3725 passing yards, but he had a strong finish to the year and that could give him some momentum heading into free agency. Bradford showed that he could stay healthy for nearly an entire season after missing significant time with knee injuries and that could get him some added attention on the market.
The Browns reportedly were interested in Bradford last year and could take another look at him now, while the Texans are in the market for a starter after using four different ones last year. The 49ers have Chip Kelly in as head coach and he could go after Bradford again, while the Jets could see Bradford as an upgrade over Ryan Fitzpatrick.
