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What Does 2015 Hold For Sam Bradford and the Rams?

First, to start this off, I realize I may be a few days late to the Bradford speculation party, but bear with me here. This article is meant to pinpoint if and where Sam Bradford will be playing in 2015, and how the Rams might handle the future of the position. And the first question is...

Will Sam Bradford be playing with the Rams in 2015?

Most of you, being Rams fans, probably already know a lot of the details, but I'm going to go ahead and lay them out anyway. Sam Bradford has missed over 30 games out of 80, including this season. This is also his second torn ACL in as many seasons. Do the Rams really want to take that risk? Bradford was playing very respectively in 2013 before his first ACL injury, and when he went down, so did the Rams. Every time a starting quarterback goes down, for any team, it starts to feel like a lost season. This is a team that is playoff worthy. Do they really want to waste that talent by putting their trust into a man who seems to be injured more than he isn't? Not to mention that he may not even be the same player if/when he comes back. Perhaps the most important fact here is that the Rams could save a whole $12 million dollars in cap space by releasing him. That is one or two high profile free agents or the resigning of a good player that they might not be able to keep with Bradford on the team. Of course, the Rams could try to restructure his contract, but Bradford could probably get more money as a free agent. A fresh start could also benefit both sides. I think the answer is pretty clear here: Sam Bradford will most likely NOT be playing in St. Louis in 2015.

Now that that question is answered, let us look at some other places where Bradford could be playing in 2015:

Arizona Cardinals

This one is a bit of a stretch, but the Cardinals are probably going to replace Carson Palmer at some point in the coming years. And while they are more likely to spend a mid-round draft pick on his replacement, why not take a chance on Bradford?

Buffalo Bills

The Bills already have a young quarterback at the helm, but E.J. Manuel hasn't exactly looked like a savior at quarterback up to this point. If Manuel plays badly, the Bills might opt to discard him and try someone else. That someone could be Bradford.

Houston Texans

The Texans signed Ryan Fitzpatrick and drafted Tom Savage in the offseason, but Fitzpatrick is still playing like Fitzpatrick and Savage doesn't look ready for the NFL just yet. It is entirely possible that the Texans sign Bradford, who is a significant upgrade over Fitzpatrick, and see how he does. If he plays well and stays healthy, they let him continue as the starter. If he doesn't, they release him.

New York Jets

The Jets are in a situation that seems very similar to the Bills' E.J. Manuel situation. They have inexperienced Geno Smith, who was the worst starter in the league last season, and Michael Vick, the injury prone veteran. While Smith is looking better, it remains to be seen if he can develop into an average NFL starting quarterback. If he doesn't, the Jets may want to take a long look at Bradford.

Oakland Raiders

Does anyone remember a time when the Raiders weren't QB needy? Me neither. Perhaps Bradford could be the long awaited answer.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Even though Josh McCown played very well last year, the Bucs don't yet know if he will play like he did with the Bears or play like he has everywhere else. They also have Mike Glennon, who played well despite plenty of chaos around him last year, but the Buccaneers haven't shown that they want to entrust their future in him. If they don't want either by the end of next year, they could try Bradford combined with a mid-round rookie and see if either of them work.

Tennessee Titans

Jake Locker is an injury prone starter who has shown flashes of what he can do before, very similar to Bradford up to this point. And while it might be that similarity that keeps Bradford out of Tennessee, the Titans may still want to take a look.

Retirement

Maybe this latest injury was the Universe telling Sam Bradford to walk away from football. Maybe he has been injured one too many times, maybe he feels he can never come back to his full form. Whatever the reason, this option remains entirely open for Bradford to take whenever he feels. He should be financially set for life, no matter what he does. Maybe the best option is just for him to hang up his helmet. It's his decision.

Another Option

Maybe teams don't want to take a chance on Bradford. If so, another option is to take a backup role somewhere and hope he gets his chance to start and prove what he can do.

Are the Rams still contenders in 2014?

I think the answer is yes. Even though the team's playoff hopes have been damaged by this injury, if the Rams can rally around Shaun Hill and try their best to win every game, they can still make it to the playoffs, even in the NFC West. And if they don't, there is always next year.

To end this article off, let's take a moment to view this as it really is: A man possibly had his dreams crushed by a one in one hundred event. I would like to wish Sam Bradford the best of luck in his life, whether he plays or not. I would also like to wish luck to the Rams and their fanbase. I hope you have a successful season. Anyway, thanks for reading.