Sam Bradford is demanding a trade 2 months after taking $35 million to stay with the Eagles, and it could get messy

It appears the Philadelphia Eagles’ big trade up to No. 2 in the 2016 NFL Draft upset Sam Bradford.

With the Eagles widely assumed to be taking one of Jared Goff or Carson Wentz with the second pick in the draft, Bradford is demanding a trade from the team, according to reports.

Weeks ago, Bradford looked like the Eagles’ starter after signing a two-year, $35 million deal with the team, with $22 million guaranteed, this offseason. However, with a young quarterback likely coming in the draft, it appears the Eagles will be grooming a young player to take Bradford’s place.

Bradford’s agent, Tom Condon, went on SiriusXM NFL radio and elaborated on Bradford’s feelings (via ESPN):

“Sam’s only been in the league for six years and he wants to go some place and be there and know that he’s going to stay as long as he plays well, and his situation now in Philadelphia is different.

“Sam’s a competitor, and he wants to go someplace and know he’s the man. He just doesn’t want to be there holding the place card and then wondering where’s he’s going to go at the end of the year.”

Eagles GM Howie Roseman stated on Monday that the Eagles want Bradford to be their starter this season.

It’s a situation that could get messy. Bradford’s two-year deal obviously wasn’t a long-term commitment to him. Yet, as a free agent, this is the deal Bradford committed to, even in an offseason where several teams had holes at quarterback. If Bradford wanted to be “the man” somewhere, he seemingly could have sought out longer deals. That he didn’t get one suggests that a long-term deal — at least at his desired price — wasn’t available.

According to CBS’s Jason La Canfora, there isn’t much of a market for Bradford. La Canfora says the Jets don’t want him, and the Broncos, while still looking for another quarterback, would likely ask Bradford to take a pay cut. This doesn’t seem like a stretch, given that they reportedly demanded Colin Kaepernick reduce his $11 million salary in the event of a trade. If the 49ers, another team with a potential opening at quarterback, wanted him this offseason, his former coach Chip Kelly would have made an effort to get him. But Bradford re-signed in Philadelphia.

According to reports, Bradford won’t attend the Eagles’ voluntary offseason workouts. Voluntary workouts and training camp are far apart, but will be interesting to see whether Bradford comes around when attendance is mandatory.

And if the Eagles can’t find a trade for him, will Bradford show up, disgruntled, with a rookie quarterback primed to take his spot, waiting in the folds? According to La Canfora, teams think Bradford is being unreasonable to demand a trade after signing the contract.

It will be an interesting situation to monitor, and one that could throw in another wrinkle in what’s become a tangled web of quarterbacks.