Not much about the Eagles' trade for Sam Bradford makes sense. The only thing that does: It's not Chip Kelly's end game at quarterback. Marcus Mariota is still very much in play.
The third-year Eagles coach pulled off his second NFL blockbuster in a week Tuesday, acquiring Bradford from the Rams in exchange for Nick Foles — a rare QB-for-QB swap. It comes on the heels of Philly shipping off another Andy Reid holdover, running back LeSean McCoy, to Buffalo.
STEELE: Kelly's power play shakes up Eagles | IYER: Eagles own Bills in McCoy trade
It wasn't hard to see the sense in moving McCoy and his hefty contract to create cap space and fill a roster need with inside linebacker Kiko Alonso. But this logic, dealing one QB coming off major injury (Foles) for another who also comes with a much heavier price tag (Bradford), is lopsided ... unless of course Chip flips Bradford.
Foles was key in helping the Eagles win the NFC East when he was healthy in 2013. Bradford on paper had a decent rookie season under now-Philadelphia offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur when the pair was in St. Louis. But that was five long years ago, before Bradford's multiple subsequent coordinators and knee woes.
While Kelly made a calculated gamble with Alonso coming off an ACL injury, Bradford doesn't make enough business or football sense to warrant the risk in Philadelphia. Besides, Kelly has been working to handpick players at almost every position, so why would he sign off on such a costly recycle job at the most important position?
If Kelly was not sold on Foles, he could have settled for more of re-signed backup Mark Sanchez. Given Bradford's similar status as a disappointment, even when healthy, he's not any more appealing than Sanchez at similar stage of his career.
IYER: Bradford isn't a QB solution for anybody in 2015
Before the trade for Bradford, Kelly was still a strong suitor to trade up and secure his prized Oregon quarterback, Mariota, in the draft. That should change here, because the selection and veteran QB configuration is different. But Kelly's affinity for Mariota should not.
Bradford, who played in a spread offense at Oklahoma, might be able to execute concepts in Kelly's version. But he's not the fresh, strong-armed dynamic athlete that Mariota is.
Bradford, simply because of his No. 1 overall pedigree, has more outside value than Foles. Remember how the QB-needy Bills and Browns were reportedly interested? They couldn't get Bradford because they didn't have a Foles to offer and couldn't make the money work.
What we should really expect next from the Eagles and Kelly is an attempt to rework Bradford's deal, making it easier to flip him to an interested party that's willing to give him an extension beyond 2015.
The Titans, sitting at No. 2 with coach Ken Whisenhunt (an offensive-minded Bradford fan), is a partner to watch. As are the Jets, who were aggressive themselves in the first wave of trading and free agency, at No. 6. By moving Foles to the Rams, the Eagles have eliminated competition for Mariota at No. 10 overall.
Based on what we've learned from Kelly through DeSean Jackson last year and McCoy/Foles this year, we should always expect the unexpected. But Kelly's moves have also provided insight to his tells, and the trade for Bradford screams middle man for Mariota.
