SAM Bradford and Mark Sanchez are supposed to be in “Open Competition for starting QB” once Training Camp starts. If that happens then it could mean things are moving on their regular schedule. It could mean that Bradford’s knee was ready. It could mean that Sanchez is looking to demonstrate more mastery of the Offense than any other QB in camp should be able to.
While some see the competition as a good thing, what it really means is, we’re still on the same treadmill we’ve been on since we traded Donovan McNabb to the Redskins in April 2010. This year’s competition means we’re heading into year six, still looking for a long-term solution at QB.
Over the last five seasons we fans have pinned our QB hopes on Kevin Kolb, Michael Vick, Nick Foles, and Sanchez. Now (maybe) Bradford will be the sixth name. Between all the re-treads and long-shots, us Eagles fans have been waiting quite a while for someone to pull that sword out of the stone. And while we’ve seen flashes of brilliance (Vick’s ridiculous 2010 season; Foles ridiculous 2013 season) they’ve not been matched by periods of consistency.
I put most of that blame on the coaches and front office.
Those who’ve been reading me since before I had this website, know that I’ve been saying for years that the team needs to draft a young guy and develop him; or at least commit to someone on the roster. They paid lip service to Foles in March of last year; but by July they were already telegraphing that they’d screw him first chance they got. (And they did.)
They need to draft and stick with a guy over his initial bumps and bruises. Even if it means back-to-back sub .500 seasons. It’s time to stop with the half-measures and actually build something again. We’ve already seen it work before. Why should fans suffer just because our HC’s scheme (to sucker someone to trade for Bradford), blew up in his face?
For the last 5 years (and this spans 2 head coaches by the way), it’s been “open competition” at the QB spot every year. It’s yielded some winning seasons and even a couple playoff appearances (2010, 2013), but both were one-and-done affairs with no return the following year.
The last time we committed long-term to a QB was in 1999 with McNabb. We tanked the first year, but he got to learn how to be a QB, not just how to play the QB position. (That by the way is the real problem faced by Colin Kaepernic and BobG3, and formerly Jake Locker.) McNabb was coached on the little things, and the focus was on him developing, not on him producing immediate wins. As a result the wins did come, and McNabb went on to become arguably (definitely statistically) the all-time greatest QB in Eagles franchise history. This ain’t rocket science folks. Why not go back and do the last thing that worked for us long-term?
In the meantime, we (as a fan base) are about to get excited for a thing that’s not been working since we started doing it. This latest competition features two re-treads, battling it out to see whether or not we’re about to (frankly) overpay one of them, for having a single good year.
Welp! Let’s get our popcorn and get ready for “Open Competition at QB: Part VI: Franchise vs Sanchize”. This time, it’s personnel.
EAGLEMANIACAL.com 
You have not seen me posting predictions for our beloved Eagles’ upcoming season and it’s all ’cause of our QB situation. I hope you are wrong Eagle and Bradford becomes our franchise’s all time best QB (I’m sure you’d be delighted too). If not, I’d trade a couple of sub .500 seasons for a successful future with another franchise QB. Swoop and Fly!
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Bradford stands no shot at such a lofty spot. His leg doesn’t have the longevity for it.
I also find it interesting that he seems so keen on testing FA after this season, but I wonder if that has to do with what kind of offers the Eagles are making him in terms of an extension. I’d love to see what the offers were vs the current market for QB’s with 50 or so starts.
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This has to be Bradfords last opportunity. I think he has the pedigree. But he is damaged goods. Its a roll of the dice. But I have that same concern about the Oline. We are extremely thin and I see potential problems winning the battle in the trench. If Demarco cant punch out the tough yards we are in serious trouble everywhere else.
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If Sam Bradford isn’t starting day one Chip Kelly the GM failed in his first season on the job. In fact having this as an open competition already hints to failure. You don’t trade a capable starter, a 2nd, and a 4th for a guy who has to compete with Mark Sanchez for the job.
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