6:14pm: More clarification, this time from Schefter: Philadelphia will give up its 2016 second-rounder in the deal no matter what, according to ESPN’s NFL insider. However, as noted below, the team will get a fourth-rounder back from the Rams that year if Bradford plays less than 50% of the Eagles’ offensive snaps in 2015. If he’s injured and doesn’t play at all, the Eagles get a 2016 third-rounder from the Rams.
So the picks initially announced by the Eagles are not conditional, and will definitely all change hands.
6:01pm: Continuing to try to clarify the compensation, Rapoport tweets that the Eagles get a conditional pick back if Bradford doesn’t play in 50% of the team’s snaps in 2015.
5:55pm: Unexpectedly, it’s the Eagles giving up a little extra draft compensation in the swap. Philadelphia announces (via Twitter) that it’s getting Bradford and a 2015 fifth-round pick from the Rams in exchange for Foles, a ’15 fourth-rounder, and a ’16 second-rounder.
However, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), the Eagles will get that 2016 second-rounder back if Bradford isn’t their starter. And Albert Breer of the NFL Network tweets that if Bradford doesn’t start eight games in 2015 for the Eagles, the team gets a fourth-round pick — if he gets reinjured, Philadelphia gets a third-round pick.
All in all, it’s a bit of a confusing swap, but the upshot is that the less the Eagles get out of Bradford, the less they’ll end up giving to the Rams.
5:18pm: The deal is now official, according to Schefter (via Twitter), though the draft pick compensation remains unclear. By all accounts, the Eagles will get extra compensation in 2016, and the two teams will also swap picks in 2015.
3:57pm: The teams will be swapping undisclosed picks in 2015, and at least one team will be sending out 2016 draft choices, according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (via Twitter).
3:04pm: The Eagles are on the verge of acquiring quarterback Sam Bradford from the Rams in exchange for Nick Foles and draft picks, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter). While Albert Breer previously said on (on Twitter) that the Rams would be sending a second-rounder to Philadelphia, the report clarifies that the draft-pick compensation is still being worked out (Twitter link).
It was no secret that Chip Kelly and the Eagles were seeking a potential replacement for Foles, with the team linked to prospect Marcus Mariota. The team also recently re-signed quarterback Mark Sanchez, but it was assumed the veteran would be competing for a back-up role.
Bradford has battled injuries over the past two seasons, including an ACL injury that forced him to miss the entire 2014 season. In his last full season, the former first-overall pick threw for 3,702 yards, 21 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. During that 2012 campaign, Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked Bradford 21st among 38 quarterback candidates.
Foles, a former third-round pick, had his breakout season in 2013, when he threw for 2,891 yards, 27 touchdowns and only two interceptions. A broken collar bone ended his 2014 season, and the 26-year-old finished with 2,163 yards, 13 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in eight games.