The Philadelphia Eagles are a team in transition. Out are Chip Kelly and the up-tempo organizational structure that, once, made the Eagles the hottest thing in the NFL. In are Doug Pederson, Howie Roseman and a sort of Andy Reid redux.
But even after Roseman's bevy of moves to kick off the 2016 NFL season, not everything is settled in Philadelphia. Except, it seems, for the quarterback position and Sam Bradford.
Speaking to reporters at the NFL owner's meetings on Wednesday, Pederson said that a big reason behind why he took the Eagles job was that Bradford was already in place. Pederson had said in the past that Bradford was his No. 1 quarterback, and despite the addition of former Kansas City Chief back-up Chase Daniel and the two-year term on Bradford's new deal, it seems like the former first-overall pick is here to say as the starter in Philly.
Pederson on Sam Bradford: He's a guy that makes good decisions, has a good arm & is a leader of the football team. pic.twitter.com/7WFIWzw64q
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) March 23, 2016
Now, that doesn't mean the Eagles won't be selecting their own quarterback come the 2016 NFL Draft in April. Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie also addressed the media this week and said that while the team is "set" with Bradford and Daniel, it's almost a certainty that they'll be adding another signal-caller come draft time.
"We're still looking for a third quarterback, somewhere in the draft, like we used to do," Lurie said. "We would always, each year, or every other year, try to draft a quarterback. At some point that'll probably continue as long as there's quality throughout the draft, and you can identify how you want to develop a quarterback over time. It's not somebody who has to step in (immediately), then hopefully we can find somebody throughout the draft."
If that sounds familiar, it's because it is. During the Reid era, the Eagles almost always took at least one quarterback in the draft, whether it be early or late. That approach proved fairly successful for the Eagles, who managed to mine players like AJ Feeley and the Detmer's and eventually turned them into either quality back-ups or draft picks via trade.
But just don't get your hopes up for a quarterback of the future at No. 8 in the first round. Pederson sounded what is being described as a negative, or at the very least uncertain tone regarding the Eagles' selection of a quarterback in April.
It could be No. 8, but it seems unlikely. And while Roseman will be the one calling the shots on draft day, Pederson is sure to have pretty significant input.
And if Pederson is committed to Bradford then so are Roseman and Lurie, by extension.
At least for now.
