A blend of new additions, one important reunion and holdovers from previous defenses helped the Eagles complete a turnaround in the secondary. This rejuvenated group, however, did not involve James Bradberry, who went through a complicated offseason before suffering an injury that kept him off the field throughout the year.
The Eagles kept Bradberry in the equation by waiting until after roster-cutdown day to place him on IR. That left the door open to the veteran DB returning, but Philadelphia never activated him. Bradberry did not practice with the team following training camp, and he shed some light on why following Super Bowl LIX.
The nine-year veteran said Thursday (via The Athletic’s Brooks Kubena) he had suffered an Achilles tear in training camp, and the summer setback also involved a soleus muscle tear. Despite this, Bradberry said (via 94WIP.com’s Eliot Shorr-Parks) he was ready to help during the season. He expects to be ready for OTAs. The Eagles did not have to disclose Bradberry’s injury, as he was not on the active roster all season.
Achilles tears regularly end seasons, but a few examples — involving Terrell Suggs, Michael Crabtree and Cam Akers — exist of players sustaining offseason tears before resurfacing for Super Bowl teams. Of that trio, only Akers suffered his tear during training camp. Akers returned to the Rams by Week 18 of the 2021 season but was not particularly effective. He still played in Super Bowl LVI. Bradberry will collect a Super Bowl LIX ring, but his Philly future is in doubt after this season-long absence.
Although the Eagles’ 2023 plan involving C.J. Gardner-Johnson featured reports of the team having him in their plans and then making an offer, the now-two-time Eagle DB said no offer came. It had appeared Gardner-Johnson was higher on the team’s priority list than Bradberry that year, but as CJGJ awaited a better offer from the Eagles or elsewhere, the team pivoted to re-signing Bradberry on a three-year, $38MM deal that included $20MM guaranteed at signing. The 31-year-old defender is under contract for 2025, but he has seen the team make major updates to the secondary, as first- and second-round picks Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean played integral roles in the Eagles’ Super Bowl LIX romp.
By training camp last year, the Eagles were trying Bradberry at safety. Bradberry, 31, suggested the move and said today (via Kubena) he made the safety call upon looking at the depth chart. However,…