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San Francisco 49ers Rumors: Sam Bradford Could Be The 49ers Starting Quarterback

By Phillip Dengler
Published on: 13:36 PST, Jan 24, 2016

Rumors regarding the next quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers are running rampant now that Chip Kelly is the new head coach, and a familiar face from Philadelphia could be joining him. While many analysts have speculated that Kelly picked the 49ers because Colin Kaepernick is on the roster, he is apparently not as high on him as originally speculated. As previously reported by The Inquisitr, it is even thought by insiders that Kelly prefers Blaine Gabbert to Kaepernick.

Since he first came into the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2013, everyone assumed that Kelly wanted a mobile quarterback. At Oregon, Kelly ran the zone-read offense, which runs much more smoothly with a mobile quarterback. While he had initial success with Michael Vick as his quarterback, Nick Foles was able to perform even better in the offense despite not being able to run.

After a disappointing 2014 season, Kelly lost trust in Foles. While he has never admitted it, insiders have reported that Kelly was attempting to trade for the rights to draft current Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota. Mariota was Kelly’s quarterback at Oregon, and a player widely regarded to fit perfectly into his scheme.

After Kelly failed to land Mariota, he was stuck with Sam Bradford, a quarterback with absolutely no mobility. While he struggled early in the season, Bradford had an excellent end to his season. Despite missing two games, Bradford set the Eagles franchise records for completions and completion percentage, according to The Morning Call.

While the Eagles failed to make the playoffs, Bradford showcased his talents and gave everyone a glimmer on why he was once drafted No. 1 overall. With Chip Kelly and former Eagles offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur not retained, Bradford’s future in Philadelphia is not exactly clear. He has stated numerous times that he enjoyed playing for Kelly and Shurmur, and he may not be sold on new Eagles head coach Doug Pederson.

According to Bleeding Green Nation, Bradford’s agent is asking for $25 million a year for his client. While there is no chance that Bradford receives that much money, he is going to earn a big payday.

Bleeding Green Nation also notes that Bradford stated his displeasure with the firing of Kelly. In speaking to 97.5 The Fanatic, NFL insider Albert Breer discussed the current situation between Bradford and the Eagles.

“My sense of it, at least — and I’ve heard Sam was very upset when they fired Chip — my sense of it is that Sam would probably prioritize stability. If you’re trying to sell Sam Bradford on staying in Philadelphia, I think you’re going to have to show him a model that looks like it’s going to be stable for at least a few years so he can grow through it. I think it was more … the guy has been through a lot in the last six years. I think he’s comfortable with Pat Shurmur, and I think he finally felt like at the end of the year it was finally starting to click more. And it’s not perfect, but Chip was willing to adapt his system to the players that were in it, and I think we started to see that near the end of the year where they were starting to learn each other to the point where the offense was starting to become Sam’s.”

With Pederson as the new Eagles head coach, Bradford would have to learn an entirely new offense. While Kelly may not be running the same exact offense that he did in Philadelphia, Bradford could look to him for familiarity.

In the end, the Eagles have control over Bradford since they can use the franchise tag on him. The problem with the franchise tag is that it is still going to cost them a ton of money, and it will only ensure that he is on the team for one more season. With a new head coach, the Eagles are looking to build and grow with a quarterback.

If Bradford cannot agree to a deal with the Philadelphia Eagles, there is a real possibility that he signs with the San Francisco 49ers. Kelly has stated many times that he likes him, and Bradford is comfortable with Chip Kelly and the way that he does things. Rumors will continue to come out regarding the next quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers, but Bradford, Kaepernick, and Gabbert all remain in the mix.

[Photo by Elsa/Getty Images]

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