The Arizona Cardinals are heading to the bargain bin for their veteran quarterback once again, following a similar mold to their last addition of Carson Palmer, and signing Sam Bradford, according to multiple reports.
The contract might not be so cheap, however, as Bradford is going to get a one-year $20M deal, including $15M guaranteed, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.
Bradford, a former No. 1 overall pick with the Rams, will be joining his fourth team, having been traded from St. Louis to Philadelphia, then traded again from Philly to Minnesota. Bradford looked exceptional in Week 1 last year for the Vikings, but dealt with a knee injury and was usurped by Case Keenum.
The Cardinals have long liked Sam Bradford. Given his medical history not sure who else did. Hope they have injury protection in contract
— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) March 13, 2018
It's possible Bradford could have come back and started had Keenum struggled, but that wasn't the case and Bradford hit free agency.
The Cardinals were reportedly set to be players in the Kirk Cousins market, with rumors circulating of them making him a monster offer.
But Cousins is going to, in all likelihood, sign with the Vikings on a three-year deal worth a reported $84 million.
The move to get Bradford is reminiscent of the Cardinals signing Palmer, a former No. 1 overall pick with a fantastic deep ball and a guy with a ton of upside, but someone who was largely cast aside because of injuries.
Bradford healthy for 16 games could inject some serious life into the Cardinals passing game, and with Larry Fitzgerald still in the desert, they'll have a true No. 1 weapon. David Johnson's return gives them a running game.
But Arizona needs to keep Bradford upright in order to keep him healthy, and that will likely mean investing in the offensive line this offseason.
Getting Bradford gives them some flexibility in the draft too. There's no guarantee the Cards will have a quarterback sitting there at No. 15 and no guarantee they can make a move up high enough to land a quarterback in the draft. GM Steve Keim can still be aggressive, but he can also be smart about acquiring a young quarterback and do his best not to overpay with a veteran in the fold.
