The Philadelphia Eagles will go into the 2017 season with Nigel Bradham still a main part of the team’s Super Bowl winning defense. The team announced that Bradham had come to terms on a deal that will pay him $40 million over five seasons, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter.
Bradham signed a two-year, $7 million deal with the Eagles during the 2016 offseason and proved to be a steal, averaging 90 tackles per season in Philadelphia. He posted 88 tackles (five for loss) with a sack and eight passes defended in 2017 for the Super Bowl champions.
The 28-year-old is familiar with Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz’s scheme and should continue to excel on one of the better defenses in the league. Schwartz and Bradham spent time together in Buffalo before they were both reunited with the Eagles.
Bradham played college football at Florida State University. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the fourth round of the 2012 NFL draft. As a senior, Bradham was named team captain. He registered 86 tackles, which led the Seminoles for the third consecutive season, and earned All-ACC honorable mention. FSU ranked as the No. 4 defense nationally. Bradham finished his career with 39 starts, including his last 37 games.
Per ESPN.com, Bradham, 28, developed into a leader and was arguably the most underrated member of a championship defense, playing with an edge that helped forge the Eagles’ identity.
As Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports wrote, “Bradham’s new deal could be paired with the departure of one of his fellow linebackers, however, as PhillyVoice’s Jimmy Kempski and The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Zach Berman speculated on Twitter. In order to ensure room for Bradham, Bennett and whomever else the Eagles target in free agency, six-year veteran Mychal Kendricks could conceivably be dangled in trade talks.”