$38 million all-pro and Philadelphia Eagle cornerback, James Bradberry could be a shocking cut candidate this offseason. According to a report, the Stanford product faces an uncertain future after the Eagles overhaul their entire secondary. However, Darius Slay says that Bradberry is in high spirits despite the ongoing speculations the team could move on. Bradberry hasn’t been appearing at OTA’s as rumors are circulating after drafting Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean in the first two rounds of this year’s draft.
His absence from the team is creating more questions than answers for his future in Philadelphia. The Eagles could designate him as a post-June 1 cut without having to owe anything toward the salary cap. His contract would only carry a $4.305 million in dead cap, but the team could just eat the money if they don’t plan to start him for the 2024 season. Bradberry is coming off a season where opposing quarterbacks targeting him completed 56% of their passes for 689 yards and nine touchdowns.
He recently signed a three-year, $38 million extension last offseason where he only had one interception and 13 pass breakups. However, he and Slay have been struggling after the finish of their disappointing 2023 campaign. Poor tackling and frequent coverage breakdowns have been two factors why they lost five of the last six games of their season. It’s a reason why the Eagles were a first-round exit in their heart-breaking crushing loss against Baker Mayfield’s offense.
According to Ari Meirov, the Eagles could cut Bradberry in amongst the surprising cuts that could occur this summer. Philadephia made it clear they need some help at the secondary which was a need in this year’s draft. They were able to get Mitchell and DeJean to improve the roster which could leave one wondering.
$38 Million All-Pro James Bradberry Could Be a Shocking Cut Candidate
Philadephia May Be Starting New
It shouldn’t shock anyone if the Eagles decide to move on from Slay as well eventually. Bradberry’s release should indicate that Philadelphia is probably starting new as far as their secondary. They’re going to see how Mitchell and DeJean adjust in their defensive scheme but they’re likely the new guys in town to replace both Slay and Bradberry. However, one could argue that it’s just for depth but they didn’t take a gamble for two first-rounders for no reason.
The Eagles see something in both of these talents so this is something to watch as they will probably put Bradberry on the market. His struggles were probably a reason why the Eagles were aggressive in this year’s draft and rightfully so. According to Pro Football Focus, the opposing quarterbacks posted a whopping 108.6 passer rating when throwing in Bradberry’s direction. His production continues to go down spiraling and it’s probably his last year with the team.
According to Spotrac, releasing the 30-year-old before June 1 would trigger more than $15 million in dead cap in addition to $10 million. They may wait until after that date to consider a release or trade which provides teams a little relief. Here are some potential destinations for Bradberry.
Potential Destinations
The Kansas City Chiefs still need a star cornerback to replace L’Jarius Sneed after his trade to the Titans. However, Trent McDuffie has bigger shoes to fill but he probably can’t do it alone so they may leap a trade. Bradberry could provide the Chiefs a low-risk cheap short-term option for a team that is looking to revive the secondary position. The Ravens were looking into Bradberry last offseason before signing his extension with the Eagles.
They need to add more firepower to their secondary than just having Marlon Humphrey alone. Bradberry would be a solid addition even though he won’t change the defensive overnight, it’s better than nothing. The Saints on the other hand have been doing their homework in this year’s draft after selecting Kool-Aid McKinstry in the secondary. They still need a solid veteran to help opposite of Paulson Adebo.
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