TED FOSSETTPARKER, CO
I've read a lot of nonsense about Sam Bradford lifting the Eagles over the Cowboys, but with an ugly injury history and 79.3 career QBR (compared to 97.6 for Romo), how can Bradford really help them?
David: Bradford is going to be one of the great X-Factors of this NFL season – there's no doubt about that. He has shown flashes of ability, but injuries have largely derailed that. His last complete season, all the way back in 2012, was decent but nothing to write home about. That said, Chip Kelly has proven he's capable of getting the most out of his quarterbacks -- think back to Nick Foles' fantastic 2013 campaign. On top of that, Kelly's system should feel familiar to the hurry-up, spread system Bradford excelled in at Oklahoma. I'm not going to be surprised if he bounces back in a big way.
Rob: Bradford has some attributes that fit nicely in Kelly's scheme: accuracy, arm strength and experience in an up-tempo offense at Oklahoma. Like Nick Foles previously, he won't be a mobility threat. The question is whether Philadelphia can protect him any better than St. Louis did. If he can stay healthy, I think he can be effective for Kelly. That's a big if based on history, though. He's played in only 51 of a possible 80 regular-season games.
JOE WENTHTRENTON, NJ
The team has many more defensive linemen than will be on the 53-man roster come September. Should they consider trading one or two of these players for someone who can play free safety or cornerback?
David: I guess that depends on who you're trying to trade. If you want to deal DeMarcus Lawrence or Randy Gregory, then sure, you could probably get something good in return – but that'd never happen. We've seen the Cowboys swap lesser-known players before, but not at this time of year. Teams typically want to wait until after training camp, so they have a clear picture of what they have. Then you might see them make a trade – like in 2013, when they dealt Sean Lissemore for a late draft pick.
Rob:As Dave said, teams usually wait to see what their health looks like by the end of camp. Not sure I'd be on board with this hypothetical, anyway. I'm not trading any of these defensive ends, obviously. And the strength of the defensive tackle position will be its depth – the ability for Rod Marinelli to rotate fresh players in and out at multiple positions. Remember, too, the Cowboys have two cornerbacks who can slide over to safety if needed: Byron Jones and Corey White.
