Chip Kelly: Sam Bradford trade like Peyton Manning, Drew Brees signings

Philadelphia Eagles coach Chip Kelly compares his trade for Sam Bradford to the free agent signings of Peyton Manning and Drew Brees.

Philadelphia Eagles coach Chip Kelly has been no stranger to controversy this offseason when it comes to how he evaluates his players. 

Kelly has jettisonedtalented stars such as LeSean McCoy and Brandon Boykin out of Philadelphia. Kelly's latest comments, however, may be his most confusing yet. 

Speaking about new quarterback Sam Bradford, who is coming off of ACL tears in back-to-back seasons, Kelly compared Bradford's acquisition to the free agent signings of Peyton Manning and Drew Brees by the Denver Broncos and New Orleans Saints, respectively. 

“Peyton Manning switched teams because of an injury. Drew Brees switched teams because of an injury. So we went down that path,” Kelly said. 

Manning, when he signed with the Broncos, was already a sure bet for the Hall of Fame and one of the most accomplished quarterbacks in NFL history. Brees was less heralded, but still had a Pro Bowl and playoff appearance to his name.

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Bradford has played in only 49 out of a possible 80 games during his five years in the league. He has a career passer rating of 79.3.

The organization appears willing to back up its coach when it comes to Bradford, who was acquired from St. Louis in exchange for Nick Foles and two draft picks in March. The Eagles and Bradford are reportedly working on a contract extension. 

- Rohan Nadkarni