There was a time when NFL trades were a rarity. Tuesday's Sam Bradford-Nick Foles blockbuster is the latest reminder those days are long gone.
We should know better than to be surprised by Chip Kelly by now. The Eagles coach is aggressively revamping his roster in a manner that illustrates the stark differences in personnel philosophy Kelly had with former general manager Howie Roseman.
Foles had a golden season in Kelly's maiden NFL voyage, but the quarterback faded last year before going down with a season-ending clavicle injury. Foles never seemed to have Kelly's trust -- this move makes that obvious.
As for the Rams, there was a time when the Les Snead and Jeff Fisher tandem seemed to have endless trust in Bradford. At the NFL Scouting Combine, both men dismissed a report of Bradford being granted permission to seek a trade, with Snead (now infamously) telling reporters: "Deleting him is not the answer."
Delete.
In Foles, the Rams get a younger, cheaper option without the huge durability concerns now hitched to Bradford. The cost savings for the Rams aren't minor: Bradford is due to earn nearly $13 million. Foles has a base salary of $1.5 million. Both players are entering the final years of their respective deals.
So who wins? Time will tell, but it's Kelly and the Eagles who are taking the biggest gamble here. Bradford essentially has been inactive for the past two years due to his knee woes. And let's not forget he was an inconsistent performer before those knee injuries, though his upside is considerable if he can stay on the field in Kelly's offense.
The Rams, meanwhile, turn the page on Bradford. This alone can be seen as a positive. The Rams showed the former No. 1 overall pick plenty of loyalty through growing pains, the RGIII trade madness and back-to-back knee surgeries, but St. Louis felt like it had turned into an organizational cul de sac.
On Tuesday, they moved on -- with Foles and a fresh start. The Eagles, meanwhile, keep moving. The direction remains unclear.
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