Howie Roseman changes lanes like a swashbuckling motorist raging down the turnpike.
The Philadelphia Eagles' executive vice president of football operations skirted from the left lane all the way to the right while speeding at 90 mph on Saturday, shipping starting quarterback Sam Bradford to the Minnesota Vikings.
It's a fascinating twist for a man who insisted all summer Bradford was his guy this year.
Let's start at the beginning of the year of this journey.
With Chip Kelly jettisoned, Roseman returns from whatever Napoleonic Island to which he'd been banished. After hiring Doug Pederson as his coach, Roseman now needs to figure out his quarterback position with Bradford set to hit free agency.
Here is how Philly's QB situation unfolded from March through Saturday:
March 1:Sam Bradford re-signs on two-year, $36 million deal. The deal allows the team to reasonably get out of the deal after one year, but guarantees Bradford $22 million at signing. This is like signing an apartment lease with your long-time girlfriend but refusing to give her an engagement ring.
March 9:Eagles sign Chase Daniel to a three-year, $21 million contract. Daniel is a Pederson protégé. Prior to the Bradford re-signing, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported multiple times that Pederson believes Daniel could be the starter. With the Daniel signing, the QB gig appears to be an open battle.
March 10: Pederson insists Sam Bradford is a firm No. 1 on the depth chart with Daniel signed to be the backup. The world remains skeptical.
April 20:Eaglestrade for No. 2 overall pick with their sights on drafting strong-armed quarterback Carson Wentz from North Dakota State.
April 20: Roseman insists Sam Bradfordremains the starting quarterback, despite the Eagles targeting a younger, prettier quarterback of the future. Rapoport reports the Eagles aren't trading Bradford.
April 20 (a lot happened this day): Reports begin to swirl that Bradford is angered and "hot" by the team moving up in the draft. (This is like if you got a side apartment while you shared that lease with your girlfriend.)
April 25:Sam Bradford wants a trade. Agent Tom Condon says Bradford won't attend voluntary workouts. Rapoport reports the Eagles won't budge on their stance. Roseman "reiterated" Bradford was the starter. This all seems like good chemistry.
April 28:Eagles select Carson Wentz with the No. 2 overall pick. Philly's brass says the rookie needs time to grow and learn behind Bradford and Daniel.
May 1: Bradford still staying away from the team as potential landing spots dry up.
May 9: After a two-week hissy fit, Bradford shows up for workouts.
May 17: Doug Pederson relays to media he told Bradford he was "the guy." Bradford insists he's happy.
June 3: Pederson announced that Bradford will be the Week 1 starter, barring injury. (Barring injury is a gaping qualification given Bradford's history.) Since it's before training camp, this feels like the Eagles trying to make Bradford feel better about himself.
July 17: Pederson says if the season started in July (it didn't) Wentz would be a healthy scratch (that's exactly what you want to hear about your future starting QB).
August 11: Bradford starts the first preseason game; completes his only pass attempt for 3 yards. Wentz takes a beating, goes 12-of-24 passing for 89 yards and an interception.
August 13: Wentz skips throwing at practice, but Pederson claims it was just soreness. Hours later, the team announced the rookie suffered a hairline fracture in his ribs. That redshirt year is looking more and more like a reality.
August 27: Bradford completes 17-of-27 passing for 162 yards, two TDs and an interception (which was blamed on Nelson Agholor) in the third preseason game, a.k.a. "the dress rehearsal."
August 29: Wentz is still in pain, NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reports, and misses the final three games of the preseason -- valuable reps for a quarterback in need of growing.
September 2: Heading into the season, Bradford is set to start, Daniel the veteran backup in case of injury, and Wentz will spend the season hold a clipboard, learning about Philly Cheesesteaks and correcting his footwork during practices.
September 3: #Breaking EAGLES TRADE BRADFORD TO VIKINGS. Days after Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater went down with a catastrophic injury, Roseman squeezes a first-round pick in 2017 and a fourth-rounder in 2018 from Minnesota for a semi-disgruntled quarterback (let's be honest, those feelings never 100 percent dissipated) that was likely gone next year.
September 3: The assumption following the trade was Daniel would open the season under center. Not so fast. If the vet does start it's because Wentz isn't healthy yet. NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reported the Eagles will start the rookie Week 1 if he's healthy. It always seemed logical Wentz would play in 2016, despite the staff's insistence otherwise. He'll get the chance sooner rather than later.
September 5: Pederson announces Wentz will start Week 1 versus the Browns, despite just playing 39 preseason snaps.Â
Prior to trading Bradford, the Eagles wanted to give Wentz a full season to learn, but ready or not, Philly will toss the North Dakota State product into the fire.
In a funny anecdote, Wentz said he was hunting geese when he learned of the Bradford trade and that he'd be the Week 1 starter.
"I was actually right in the middle of a cornfield hunting when that happened," the rookie said Monday. "So I got the call. I was obviously very surprised but instantly I was just really excited. A lot of excitement going on and I quickly cleaned up and got out of there. There was just so many emotions going on with my family and stuff, so now it's just down to business. I'm very confident and I'm very excited to get this opportunity."
We haven't even played a meaningful game and the 2016 quarterback timeline in Philadelphia is insane. Who knows what will happen next week.
