National Football League

Is Sam Bradford not close to full health?

Published May. 29, 2015 1:35 a.m. ET

foxsports

By Ryan Phillips

When Chip Kelly and the Philadelphia Eagles traded for Sam Bradford they were almost certainly expecting him to be healthy for the entire 2015 season. Unfortunately, it doesn’t appear Bradford is even close to being 100 percent healthy.

According to numerous reports from the first day of OTAs for the Eagles, Bradford was seen walking with a noticeable limp. He is in the process of recovering from a torn ACL in his left knee, the second time he has had to have that ACL repaired. He hurt the knee in August of last year, Bradford should be well on the road to recovery by now. He clearly isn’t as far along as he should be.

Jeff McLane is reporting that Bradford just simply doesn’t look healthy, while we have been told by others close to the Eagles that there are concerns that the 27-year-old won’t be ready to open the season.

Bradford is set to participate in seven-on-seven work next week, and that’s good news because he has to learn Chip Kelly’s system from top to bottom. For now, Mark Sanchez is likely the team’s top option and Tim Tebow is also on the roster, but anyone who thinks he can start in the NFL at this point is fooling themselves.

Bradford certainly has talent, but he has struggled mightily with staying healthy. After a solid rookie season in 2010, Bradford dealt with an ankle injury throughout most of the 2011 season and he played in just 10 games. In 2012 he appeared to be back on the right track as he played in all 16 games and threw for 3,702 yards with 21 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. But in 2013 he played in just seven games before tearing his left ACL. Then he re-tore the ACL during the team’s third preseason game. Now he is in the final year of his rookie contract and has to do something to prove himself.

The former No. 1 overall pick simply has to figure out a way to stay on the field this season if he wants to have a future in the NFL.

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