What’s The Sweetest Fruit? In Philadelphia, it’s Bradberry
Berry, Berry Good
The sweetest addition to the Philadelphia Eagles roster this offseason was the pick up of cornerback James Bradberry. In desperate need for a cornerback to take the pressure off Darius Slay, General Manager Howie Roseman acquired the 28-year-old pro bowler on Wednesday. The one-year, $7.5 million deal comes with incentives that increase it to $10 million, a team-friendly deal that works in the best interest of both parties and could lead to a re-signing if Bradberry excels. Before the signing, the depth behind Slay was Avonte Maddox, Tay Gowan, and Zech McPhearson, among others. Once Bradberry was released by the Giants after failing to find a suitable trade partner, it was clear that the Eagles became the frontrunners to land him. Now, not only does he instantly fill the second cornerback role, but he does so as a brand name premier corner who can be a true number one of many teams across the league.
Since entering the NFL in 2016, Bradberry has been nothing short of impressive. He is a pass-deflecting machine, with 82 in his career so far and finishing in the top five last season with 17. In his past three seasons, he has 10 interceptions with a career-high of four last season. He was a pro-bowl selection in 2020, with three interceptions and 18 passes defensed. When the season starts, he will be 29 years old and there are no signs of slowing down and aging just yet. Working with Slay is an added bonus, as both can learn from each other and form a dynamic duo at the position. Having two pro-bowlers in the secondary is good situation to be in and, hopefully, both stars stay healthy in order for Philadelphia to compete in the NFC.
Birds of Prey
With both Slay and Bradberry locking down the secondary, the Eagles defense should be much more formidable than last year. During last season, Slay had to pick up the slack for Steven Nelson, who was inconsistent at best. Bradberry is a significant upgrade and signing, as he stays in the NFC East and the familiarity with the division should be an advantage. Both corners are capable of picking the ball off and knocking passes away, something the team has lacked since the days of Sheldon Brown and Lito Sheppard. With Slay shadowing primary wide receivers, Bradberry covers all the secondary options for these quarterbacks they will face this season. This makes it extremely difficult for opponents to gameplan and find other players to involve during the game. With a stronger and healthier front seven bolstering the defense, the secondary is likely to take a big leap forward in 2022-23. There is an old saying that defense wins championships and while the Eagles may not look like contenders, the addition of Bradberry could certainly help the birds feast on their prey in this upcoming campaign.