Is Sam Bradford’s career in the NFL pretty much over?
By Adam Patrick
The former Minnesota Vikings quarterback still hasn’t signed with a new team this offseason since he was let go by the Arizona Cardinals last November.
18 quarterbacks have been signed to new deals since the 2019 free agency period officially began back in March, including Sean Mannion deciding to join the Minnesota Vikings.
One passer who remains unsigned though is former Vikings signal-caller Sam Bradford. Still only 31-years-old, Bradford is coming off a 2018 campaign that saw him get let go by the Arizona Cardinals midway through the season after a few pretty forgetful performances.
The fact that the former Minnesota quarterback has yet to sign with a new team this year may be an indication of his time in the NFL coming to a close sooner than later.
When guys like Mannion, Tom Savage, Brett Hundley, and Landry Jones are getting opportunities over Bradford, it seems a bit odd. The former Vikings passer hasn’t even been rumored to join another team this offseason.
If Bradford has had any offers this year, they probably weren’t like any of the previous contracts he’s signed during his career in the league.
In nine seasons, the veteran quarterback has earned more than $129 million and he’s never signed a deal with a team for less than $20 million. Based on his recent health and performance, Bradford would be lucky to get an offer for more than $5 million per year at this point in his football career.
Even that amount seems a little too high for someone who has more interceptions (four) than wins (two) in his last two seasons.
To continue playing in the NFL, Bradford’s best bet right now would be as a backup. However, this may be too tough of a pill for the former No. 1 draft pick to swallow and he might decide to just end his career in the league instead.
If Bradford is able to suck it up and relish the opportunity to be a backup, he could probably extend his time in the NFL for a number of years. Maybe the former Minnesota quarterback could even have some sort of career renaissance down the road when he’s called upon to fill in for a team’s starter.
For now though, Bradford remains unsigned and it’s possible that it will stay that way forever.