Glad you got it fixed.
Sam Bradford A Cardinal
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ReasonableMan
Hall of Famer
If nothing Bradford seems to be a good sport about it
moklerman
Rise from the Ashes III
https://www.azcardinals.com/news/sam-bradford-dealing-with-new-role
Friday, Oct 12, 2018 03:12 PM
Sam Bradford Dealing With New Role
Darren Urban
AZCARDINALS.COM
Sam Bradford spoke for the first time Friday afternoon since being replaced by Josh Rosen in the starting lineup, a quarterback who once thought this weekend’s trip to Minnesota would be a sort of homecoming against his former team.
Instead, Bradford will be inactive as the Cardinals’ third QB, doing what he can to help his rookie teammate maneuver through Rosen’s first NFL season.
“It is challenging,” Bradford acknowledged. “But you kind of have to push your pride aside. My role has changed. But I still have a job to do, I’m still part of this team, and I am still going to do everything I can to help this team. It’s just figuring it out how I can do that in this new role.”
Bradford started the first three games of the season, completing 50-of-80 passes for only 400 yards, with two touchdowns and four interceptions. His last start began great – two first-quarter touchdown passes as the Cardinals jumped out to a 14-0 lead – but faded hard, including three Bradford turnovers.
The last turnover was a lost fumble while in field-goal range, the play that moved coach Steve Wilks to replace Bradford with Rosen. Rosen then was named starter the following Monday, and is heading into his third start Sunday against the Vikings.
“I think it was pretty obvious why (Wilks) made it,” Bradford said about the switch. “Obviously I wish I would’ve played better, that’s for sure. I wish I could’ve helped this team get off to a better start.”
Bradford also wasn’t surprised about being inactive, in light of the per-game bonuses he would receive if he is active on game days. In games Bradford is on the active 46-man roster, he receives an extra $312,000.
“I think I understand it,” he said. “Anyone would like to be out there. But I get that business side of it."
Had Bradford not gotten hurt last season in Minnesota, he’d likely be starting against the Cardinals Sunday. Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said he loved Bradford and his skillset, and only the injuries derailed Bradford’s time there.
When the 2017 season ended, a year in which Bradford played in only two games because of a bad knee, the Vikings let him leave in free agency (along with getting rid of Teddy Bridgewater and Case Keenum) in order to sign current starter Kirk Cousins.
“It obviously hurt him because I think he felt like this was a good place for him,” Zimmer said. “He had success, and he was feeling good about the things we were doing offensively. And then he got hurt. Really, it lingered on a lot longer than anybody thought it would.”
Bradford’s initial role in Arizona was to be the 2018 starter. Once Rosen was drafted, the idea was that Bradford would still be in place this season, paving the way for Rosen as soon as 2019. But the offensive issues – the Cardinals scored just 20 points while Bradford played in his almost-three full games – were too much.
“We can’t give Sam enough credit for what he has done for this team,” offensive coordinator Mike McCoy said. “Unfortunately, early on, we didn’t have the success we wanted to have. The day we decided in the game (to go to) Josh, Sam has been 100 percent behind Josh. It’s been that way since we drafted Josh.
“That’s what the great pros do. I can’t thank him enough, the way he’s handled it in a tough situation.”
Bradford said despite everything, he is still looking forward to the trip to Minnesota, to see former teammates and friends.
“You just kind of keep moving forward,” Bradford said. “I still have a job to do and that’s how I am trying to approach it. I still think I can help Josh in the meeting room and the practice field, and I’m trying to be an extra set of eyes and be there if he has any questions.”
Friday, Oct 12, 2018 03:12 PM
Sam Bradford Dealing With New Role
Darren Urban
AZCARDINALS.COM
Sam Bradford spoke for the first time Friday afternoon since being replaced by Josh Rosen in the starting lineup, a quarterback who once thought this weekend’s trip to Minnesota would be a sort of homecoming against his former team.
Instead, Bradford will be inactive as the Cardinals’ third QB, doing what he can to help his rookie teammate maneuver through Rosen’s first NFL season.
“It is challenging,” Bradford acknowledged. “But you kind of have to push your pride aside. My role has changed. But I still have a job to do, I’m still part of this team, and I am still going to do everything I can to help this team. It’s just figuring it out how I can do that in this new role.”
Bradford started the first three games of the season, completing 50-of-80 passes for only 400 yards, with two touchdowns and four interceptions. His last start began great – two first-quarter touchdown passes as the Cardinals jumped out to a 14-0 lead – but faded hard, including three Bradford turnovers.
The last turnover was a lost fumble while in field-goal range, the play that moved coach Steve Wilks to replace Bradford with Rosen. Rosen then was named starter the following Monday, and is heading into his third start Sunday against the Vikings.
“I think it was pretty obvious why (Wilks) made it,” Bradford said about the switch. “Obviously I wish I would’ve played better, that’s for sure. I wish I could’ve helped this team get off to a better start.”
Bradford also wasn’t surprised about being inactive, in light of the per-game bonuses he would receive if he is active on game days. In games Bradford is on the active 46-man roster, he receives an extra $312,000.
“I think I understand it,” he said. “Anyone would like to be out there. But I get that business side of it."
Had Bradford not gotten hurt last season in Minnesota, he’d likely be starting against the Cardinals Sunday. Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said he loved Bradford and his skillset, and only the injuries derailed Bradford’s time there.
When the 2017 season ended, a year in which Bradford played in only two games because of a bad knee, the Vikings let him leave in free agency (along with getting rid of Teddy Bridgewater and Case Keenum) in order to sign current starter Kirk Cousins.
“It obviously hurt him because I think he felt like this was a good place for him,” Zimmer said. “He had success, and he was feeling good about the things we were doing offensively. And then he got hurt. Really, it lingered on a lot longer than anybody thought it would.”
Bradford’s initial role in Arizona was to be the 2018 starter. Once Rosen was drafted, the idea was that Bradford would still be in place this season, paving the way for Rosen as soon as 2019. But the offensive issues – the Cardinals scored just 20 points while Bradford played in his almost-three full games – were too much.
“We can’t give Sam enough credit for what he has done for this team,” offensive coordinator Mike McCoy said. “Unfortunately, early on, we didn’t have the success we wanted to have. The day we decided in the game (to go to) Josh, Sam has been 100 percent behind Josh. It’s been that way since we drafted Josh.
“That’s what the great pros do. I can’t thank him enough, the way he’s handled it in a tough situation.”
Bradford said despite everything, he is still looking forward to the trip to Minnesota, to see former teammates and friends.
“You just kind of keep moving forward,” Bradford said. “I still have a job to do and that’s how I am trying to approach it. I still think I can help Josh in the meeting room and the practice field, and I’m trying to be an extra set of eyes and be there if he has any questions.”
moklerman
Rise from the Ashes III
It may be a business decision but I still think it questionable to demote the guy all the way to practice squad and inactive on game day.
Krangodnzr
Captain of Team Conner
Why? When he's not playing why the heck would you pay him a bonus every game? The dude blew chunks. Fark that noise.
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agreed.
especially because we're not even talking about a lifelong/beloved Cardinal. He came in. He made a buttload of money and was atrocious. Giving Bradford another 4 million dollars to do nothing instead of saving that money and pushing it into this or next year's cap would be idiotic.
moklerman
Rise from the Ashes III
Because it isn't about the money. If the team didn't consider that money already spent, that would be idiotic. Nickle and diming a vet and treating him like dirt is what's questionable. Benching the starter and making him the backup is one thing but demoting and deactivating him is something else. It seems pretty clear at this point that it wasn't Bradford that was the problem with the offense so throwing him under the bus and taking money away from him is...questionable.
This regime lacks any credibility and this particular move looks petty.
DVontel
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I know you like the dude, but come on. He was still part of the problem.
Phrazbit
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Bradford was a serious problem with the offense. McCoy is awful but McCoy and Bradford combined for what was on pace to be the worst offense of the Superbowl era, without Bradford the offense's output has nearly doubled... to the realm of merely "bad".
If it's "unfair" to make him inactive then they should release him. There is no point in putting him on the field again.
Krangodnzr
Captain of Team Conner
Nothing petty about saving money you would pay a STARTER. The team isn't stupid; the players know that if you aren't going to play the team isn't going to set you up for a HUGE bonus.
When the Cardinals didn't start Boomer Esiason the last game or two of a season to not pay him a bonus he would've earned, that was petty. This is not. Bradford was worse than a rookie.
moklerman
Rise from the Ashes III
True, I never said he wasn't. The way the team is treating him though is that he was "the" problem.
moklerman
Rise from the Ashes III
The whole team was off to a horrific start but I think it's disingenuous to suggest that Bradford was holding the offense back and now they're twice as good without him. The offense, such as it was, actually did progress game by game. I don't think you can essentially exclude DJ from the offense and act as if Bradford should have been leading a similarly productive offense. Not sure I'd say the offensive production has doubled anyway. Not saying the production hasn't been better but I can't definitively say that it isn't due to acclimation and opponents.
Would the offense have been that much different had Bradford remained the starter? I can't say.
Should the Cardinals release or trade Bradford at this point? More than they should relegate him to the practice squad and inactive. I agree that they've moved on and rightly so all things considered. If they're so concerned about a $4M roster bonus that they're willing to field a lesser team then they really should just get rid of him.
moklerman
Rise from the Ashes III
Is $4M a "huge" bonus? Seems that even if they paid him his salary plus the bonus that he'd still have a relatively modest one year salary for a QB.
gimpy
ASFN Lifer
Give me a break 
cardjunkie
Veteran
Wow. Bradford took money from this team that he did not earn. End of story.
I think continuity for the future is playing a role. 2019 on, it will be Glennon backing up Rosen...makes sense to get that set now and be sure Glennon gets those #2 reps in the offense.
WisconsinCard
Herfin BIg Time
Highest paid coach in the league. I think that is the only reason they're keeping him. They have to pay him might as well get something out of him, like coaching Josh.
Phrazbit
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I'm not suggesting they're twice as good without Bradford, I'm stating it, flat out. Bradford was hooooorrible and a major problem with the offense. McCoy is awful but McCoy vanilla play calling combined with Bradford's hot potato check down passing combined for a historically inept offense.
moklerman
Rise from the Ashes III
Unless Bradford was continually checking out of running plays I don't think it's fair to call it the same offense. Johnson was barely being used those first few games and his touches were markedly increased once Rosen came in.
But the offense isn't twice as good right now. Granted they scored 28 points against SF but they aren't gaining more yards and Rosen has been far less efficient. Bradford had some uncharacteristic mistakes but he was also steadily improving. Rosen's completion % and YPA are just as poor in the passing game so far.
Phrazbit
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Bradford's QBR, 25. Rosen's 63. As pathetic as Bradford's baseline stats were, they were actually less effective in practice. Rosen's completion percentage isn't as high because he tries passes that actually have a potential reward if completed. Bradford on the other hand consistently threw 4 yard passes on 3rd and long.
I don't even know how this is debatable. Bradford had one QUARTER on the whole where he wasn't atrocious, which he promptly followed with the worst run of play we saw from him all year, leading to his benching.
moklerman
Rise from the Ashes III
QBR isn't an official stat, it's an ESPN contrivance. And I'm not arguing that Bradford was twice as good as Rosen, just refuting that the offense is twice as good now. It just isn't.
I also think you're discounting just how disjointed the offense was to start the year. There's no argument that they looked anemic but by the Bears game, they were showing some progress. Granted, Bradford had the turnovers but he was also pushing the ball down the field and the offense was showing some life.
Just as Rosen isn't elevating above a lousy situation I don't think Bradford should have realistically done so. I really don't think that he deserved to be relegated to deactivated.
