Chip Kelly and the Philadelphia Eagles didn't give up quarterback Nick Foles and a 2016 second-round pick for Sam Bradford just so he could ride the pine behind Mark Sanchez this season.
No, Kelly made the determination this offseason - and likely prior - that Foles' limited ceiling was hampering his ability to fully implement his offensive vision and therefore he had to go out and find another signal-caller able to make quicker reads, take better care of the ball and operate with functional athleticism within the pocket.
Bradford, coming off his second ACL tear of his left knee as the NFL level, certainly isn't a lock to start Day One or, more importantly, play well if he does wind up helming Kelly's offense.
As he works his way back from the injury, all eyes at Eagles OTAs remain firmly on Bradford and his surgically repaired knee.
Luckily for Eagles fans, if the comments of a handful of Bradford's array of offensive weaponry and his recently increased workload are any indication, things are looking good for the young veteran.
"Sam Bradford looks really good," Jordan Matthews, the second-year Eagles receiver said, via Corey Seidman of CSNPhilly.com. "I'm not gonna ruin the surprise, the kid can throw the ball, though."
Bradford's participation has been limited to this point - he finally took a handful of 7-on-7 snaps on Tuesday - but his arm strength and command of the huddle have already made an impression on teammates.
"He's throwing well," first-round pick, wide receiver Nelson Agholor said. "I think he's very silent, but in terms of how he carries himself, he's a great quarterback and a great football player."
While the recently resigned Sanchez has taken the majority of first-team reps for Philly to this point and was the first quarterback up on Tuesday, Bradford's workload has incrementally increased in recent days.
"He's taking it day by day," tight end Zach Ertz said. "He wants to get better each and every day and that's kind of the mindset we all have right now. It is the offseason, so we all kind of have that individual mindset, and I think he's doing a great job."
