Getty PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - NOVEMBER 26: James Bradberry #24 of the Philadelphia Eagles celebrates with teammates after an interception during the fourth quarter against the Buffalo Bills at Lincoln Financial Field on November 26, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
The Philadelphia Eagles would benefit from this “potential” trade.
In a proposed trade pitched by Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine, the Eagles would deal cornerback James Bradberry and a 2025 fourth-round pick to the Arizona Cardinals in exchange for a 2025 fifth-round pick.
Simply put, Ballentine’s argument is this — Bradberry is an “aging” veteran who has a large cap hit.
“A combination of the change at defensive coordinator, a less effective pass rush and just plain old aging probably attributed to Bradberry’s jarring drop-off,” writes Ballentine. “Corner is a volatile position by nature, and he’s hitting an age where many players slow down.”
The 30-year-old cornerback is also coming off of probably the worst season of his career.
“The 30-year-old cover man enjoyed one of his best seasons when he arrived in 2022,” writes Ballentine. “But he was the embodiment of the Eagles’ collapse down the season’s final stretch last year. He was charged with giving up 11 touchdowns in coverage and a passer rating of 114.3 after giving up a 51.6 mark.”
Why the Eagles Should Trade James Bradberry
The idea of trading Bradberry makes sense for a number of reasons. Outside of his age and decline in play, his contract is a burden with the veteran cornerback owed $38 million with $20 million guaranteed over three seasons. He’s under contract for two more years.
What further solidifies the idea that Bradberry could be on the way out is the fact that Philadelphia used their top two draft picks — Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean — on cornerbacks. Those selections make it clear as day that the Eagles weren’t happy with their cornerback situation.
Along with Bradberry’s lackluster coverage statistics throughout the regular season, his stark decline was on full display on national television when the Eagles lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the playoffs. Bradberry allowed five receptions (on six targets) for 108 yards, a touchdown, four first downs and 21.6 yards per reception in coverage in the playoff loss.
Despite his uncertain future in Philadelphia, Bradberry is in good spirits, according to teammate Darius Slay.
“I talk to Bradberry all the time. He in good spirits,” Slay said at the NovaCare Complex on Wednesday, May 22. “JB, what he going on year nine? Yea, he be good. He made a lot of money, played good, All-Pro, Pro Bowl player. We had talks. He in good spirits.
Why the Cardinals Make Sense as Landing Spot
While it’s clear the Eagles would probably prefer to part ways with their veteran starting cornerback, the issue is finding a taker. This is why Ballentine proposes the Cardinals as a possible landing spot due to their head coach, Jonathan Gannon, previously serving as Philadelphia’s defensive coordinator.
Gannon coached Bradberry during the 2022 season when he actually turned in a productive season. According to Pro Football Focus, Bradberry posted a 74.1 defensive grade and 80.2 grade in coverage during the 2022 season. Bradberry ranked 23rd in defensive grade and 11th in coverage grade among all cornerbacks.
Ballentine mentions how Bradberry’s contract makes it difficult to trade him. However, they can save a little bit of money if trade him after June 1.
“There’s not much that can be done about the last two, but a reunion with former defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon could be beneficial,” writes Ballentine. “The problem for Philadelphia is Bradberry’s burdensome contract. There’s a lot of dead cap involved in letting go of him, and the only way they even save a little bit of money in 2024 is if they trade him after June 1.”
Ballentine further argues that the Cardinals’ plethora of cap space makes them a suitable trade partner for Bradberry.
“The Cardinals are uniquely qualified to take them up on that,” writes Ballentine. “General manager Monti Ossenfort clearly likes working the phones, Gannon has experience coaching him, and they have $22.1 million in cap space.”
In an ideal world, the Eagles would trade Bradberry in 2024. We’ll see if there’s any takers moving forward.