OU's Bradford taking huge risk / LJWorld.com

Archive for Sunday, April 26, 2009

Sorrentino’s Lightning Round

April 26, 2009

Reader poll

I’m wondering what was going through Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford’s mind as Matthew Stafford held up a Detroit Lions jersey after being selected No. 1 overall in Saturday’s NFL Draft.

I’m not questioning Bradford’s decision to return to the Sooners for his junior season. Clearly, a fire still burns inside Bradford to get back to the BCS Championship game and I respect him for staying in school.

But it’s a risk.

Consider that Stafford just signed a six-year, $78 million deal with Detroit on Friday night. I’m not Mel Kiper or Todd McShay, but at 6-foot-4 and 218 pounds, Bradford, fresh off a Heisman Trophy campaign and a season in which he led OU to a record-breaking offensive season, would have given Stafford (6-2, 225 pounds) a run for the No. 1 overall pick. If I’m Bradford, I’m thinking, ‘That could have (and probably should have) been me.’

Here’s what’s working in Bradford’s favor, though. Rookie quarterback contracts continue to rise. Before Stafford, Matt Ryan (six years, $72 million), JaMarcus Russell (six years, $68 million), Vince Young (five years, $58 million), Alex Smith (six years, $49.5 million), Eli Manning (seven years, $54 million), Carson Palmer (seven years, $49 million), David Carr (seven years, $46.2 million) and Michael Vick (six years, $62 million) signed monster deals. If Bradford stays healthy, he could be compensated like Stafford.

But it’s a risk.