PHILLY'S KELLY GETS BRADFORD FOR FOLES
The Philadelphia Eagles acquired quarterback Sam Bradford and a fifth-round draft pick in 2015 from the St. Louis Rams for quarterback Nick Foles, a fourth-round draft pick in 2015, and a second-round draft pick in 2016.
What does it give the Philadelphia Eagles
There are a lot of intriguing angles to this deal for the Eagles, but above all it appears to simply be head coach Chip Kelly inserting 'his' personnel. Kelly didn't draft Foles, and as an offensive guru Kelly has very specific and strong ideas about how to make his unique, high-octane offense work. Enter Bradford, a definite talent who can make it work--if he can stay healthy. Devastating left ACL tears have put Bradford's career in some doubt, but he remains an elite talent at quarterback--one the Eagles and Kelly clearly hope can take the offense to the next level. He's an expensive risk, but a high-upside one.
What does it give the St. Louis Rams
Much like Kelly with the Eagles, Rams head coach Jeff Fisher uses this as a chance to go with a player of his choice at a key position. He didn't draft Bradford, and while Foles isn't the athlete Bradford is--and struggled somewhat last season--Foles is a towering pocket presence who's proven he can play like a star. Add in the draft pick assets and the fact Foles has a minimal salary (and can be a free agent after this season), and the Rams open up a lot of options for the future with this deal.
Fantasy impact
So much of the fantasy impact of this trade obviously hinges on the health of Bradford's left knee. If he can stay healthy, he should be a fantasy-worthy QB for 2015 with definite sleeper appeal. Assuming he can get up to speed quickly with Kelly's unique offensive set-up, Bradford should immediately boost the fantasy value of second-year wideout Jordan Matthews. On the Rams side of the transaction not much changes, since Foles may be a slight downgrade from a healthy Bradford (but should see every opportunity to succeed).
