Player A: a slightly above average quarterback that has had injury problems his whole career and played alright his first season with the Philadelphia Eagles. 2015 stat line: 65% completion percentage, 3725 yards, 19 touchdowns to 14 interceptions, 39 rushing yards on 26 attempts, 28 sacks, and six fumbles, one of which was lost with a total QBR of 86.4.
Player B: a rookie quarterback with extremely high expectations who absolutely killed it his four seasons with North Dakota State University and who faces questions on whether he can adjust from an FCS team to the pros. 2015 stat line: 62.5% completion percentage, 1651 yards, 17 touchdowns to four interceptions, 294 rushing yards on 63 attempts, eight sacks, and three fumbles, all of which were lost with a total QBR of 152.3. Keep in mind, he missed eight weeks of the season due to an injury.
Yes, it is obvious which player is who and there's no use in comparing college to professional statistics, but they will just serve as numbers behind both names. Right now, the Eagles have to decide whether to start Player A (Sam Bradford) or Player B (Carson Wentz), and that's not even including the luckiest and most expensive third string quarterback ever and will probably remain that way unless the cap increases at a rate faster than the NBA's in Chase Daniel.
Analyzing Bradford
It is true that Bradford's numbers were less than stellar, but that was only in the first half of the season. The second half is a different story, but that will be addressed later. Seven weeks into the 2015 season, it wasn't looking good for the Eagles. They were hoping for a quarterback that fit extremely well in their system but got one that seemed hesitant and scared.
The Eagles play fast and their offensive line is probably their biggest problem, so they need a quarterback that can make quick decisions with the ball; the ability to escape pressure using their legs is an extra bonus. As you can tell from the rushing numbers, Bradford doesn't really have a ground game. While 28 may not be a particularly high number of sacks, it's worrisome that he threw so many interceptions and fumbled so often, he was just lucky that those fumbles bounced towards his team.
Bradford's play in the first half of last season was slightly reminiscent of David Carr's (and this is coming from a Houston Texans fan from way back in the day, so a credible source). It wasn't as bad, and Bradford did some stuff right, but nobody likes seeing their quarterback panicking as soon as a defender breaks free.
All of this switched around after their bye week. His numbers improved across the board, posting a 68.2% completion percentage, 1956 yards, 10 touchdowns versus four interceptions, 10 sacks, and a QBR of 97.0. Now for those saying that their bye week was in Week 8 which means he played in more games which is why his numbers are better. However, he was injured for two of those games, so he played seven both before and after the bye week.
After the break, Bradford seemed more poised in the pocket and under pressure and was making more correct decisions. This suggests that he just needed time to adjust himself to the fast paced system and that now he's got it all under control. Still, those first seven weeks are worrisome, and it is unclear as of now which Bradford the Eagles will get in the long term.
There are other question marks surrounding Bradford, mainly the new direction of the team. Chip Kelly was probably the Mike D'Antoni of football coaches (if you don't watch basketball, that means he loves fast paced offenses) and Doug Pederson will more than likely not play at that speed. The team also hired Frank Reich at offensive coordinator, previously holding the same post with the San Diego Chargers. His main weakness was calling plays, something that Pederson has assured he will do. His forte is his ability to mentor quarterbacks, as he has thrived as a quarterback coach and led the Chargers to one of the most potent aerial attacks in the league.
Analyzing Wentz
Coming in to the draft, there were plenty of opinions on Wentz. Many liked his height, accurate throws from anywhere on the field, and decision making, whether pressured or not. Others bashed him for staring down receivers and his throwing mechanics while suggesting that playing on an FCS team meant it would take longer for him to reach NFL speed.
People say much of the same today as well. Many say that he is definitely not ready for the league, some even suggesting that he has performed below expectations in practices. Training camps started today, and so the next few weeks will show at what stage Wentz really is.
The overall consensus is that Wentz will not start, some going so far as to suggest he won't play at all. Even Pederson is thinking of taking that route, making it clear that he didn't want to make the mistake of rushing Wentz into the league. He has the privilege of having another NFL caliber quarterback in Bradford and wants to take full advantage of him while Wentz watches and learns. At this rate, it looks like Bradford's immediate competition is not from Wentz, but from Daniel. But do you really think the Eagles will start a guy who has attempted 77 passes in seven seasons over a quarterback who has already proven himself? Exactly.
It's looking like Bradford will be starting for the Eagles at quarterback next season. This is a smart move since Wentz is clearly not ready to take over the reins of an NFL offense. On the other hand, Bradford proved himself in the second half of last season, playing much more calmly then at the beginning. It will honestly probably be a couple of years before Wentz starts for the team because they want to make sure they don't rush him in.