Short-term solution: Sam Bradford and Cardinals agree to one-year deal plus option year

Shalise Manza Young
·Columnist

The Arizona Cardinals have a new quarterback, but he’s not likely to be their quarterback of the future.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports Bradford and the Cardinals have agreed to a contract that’s essentially for one year, $20 million, with $15 million guaranteed. There is a team option for a second year, at $20 million.

Bradford, now 30-years-old, played in just two games last season for the Minnesota Vikings; he suffered a somewhat mysterious knee injury in the season opener against New Orleans, sat out the next three games, and tried to return in Week 5 against Chicago but couldn’t finish the game.

He underwent arthroscopic knee surgery in early November, and was in uniform as the Vikings’ backup quarterback in the postseason.

Sam Bradford, who spent the last two seasons with the Vikings, is join the Arizona Cardinals in free agency. (AP)
Sam Bradford, who spent the last two seasons with the Vikings, is join the Arizona Cardinals in free agency. (AP)

Bradford’s extensive injury history – the No. 1 pick in the 2010 draft has played 15 or 16 games in a season just three times in eight years – may be why Arizona preferred essentially a year-to-year agreement with the quarterback.

Carson Palmer, who spent the last five years as Arizona’s starter but missed the final nine games of the season to injury, announced his retirement on January 2.

The Cardinals used Drew Stanton and Blaine Gabbert as starters over the remainder of the season; Stanton played the final two games on a torn ACL, according to receiver Larry Fitzgerald.

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Fitzgerald will be back for a 15th season with the only NFL team he’s known; now, he’ll be playing with at least his 17th different quarterback since joining the franchise in 2004.

Jimmy Kempski, a writer for the Philly Voice, tweeted that if Bradford collects the entire $20 million from year one of the contract, he’ll have made $134.1 million in his career – but has won just 34 games, and never more than seven in a season.

In case you’re wondering, $114.1 million for 34 career wins is $3.355 million per win.

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