go out there and just not even be competitive was

Just when you thought it was safe to head to the beach or watch some tennis during the summers last long weekend, the NFL reminded you on Saturday morning that its phones never turn off. The Eagles and Vikings consummated a fun, fascinating trade just days before the season begins, with Philly sending starting quarterback Sam Bradford to Minnesota for a 2017 first-round pick and a conditional fourth-round pick in 2018. Its a remarkable turn of events for a pair of teams with two of the more intelligent and aggressive general managers in all of football. In both their cases, though, we can see just how the rules for quarterbacks and the rules for decision-making at all other positions are entirely different.Vikings general manager Rick Spielman has done an incredible job building a deep, young roster in Minnesota, mostly sticking to what would count as NFL personnel best practices. Hes built through his lines, tried to amass extra draft picks by trading down and mostly stayed out of free agency. When hes veered from those principles in the past, hes avoided making the mistake again. The notable example there is when he traded up in 2013, sending second-, third-, fourth- and seventh-round picks to New England to draft Cordarrelle Patterson, with the Patriots using the selections to acquire Jamie Collins, Logan Ryan?and LeGarrette Blount, Blount coming via trade.Since then, by my count, Spielman has made 10 draft pick-for-pick trades. Eight of them were trades to move down. He traded the 240th pick to move up eight spots in the sixth round of this years draft, about as modest of a trade-up as you can imagine, while his other trade up was at the end of the first round for?Teddy Bridgewater. The price was much more amenable -- a lone fourth-round pick -- to make the trade, but the target?was a quarterback. Even if Bridgewater never plays again (and he will), it was one of the few trade-ups which worked.With extra third- and fourth-round picks in the 2017 draft coming his way from the Dolphins, Spielman has made his most curious and aggressive move since the Patterson trade. It tells us a lot about how he perceives his team and their short-term chances to compete and how desperate Minnesota was for a passer. As much as I suggested the Vikings could get by with Shaun Hill at quarterback, its clear Spielman and coach Mike Zimmer dont agree. (Given that theyre watching Hill every day in practice and realize how bad things would be if Hill himself got injured, they deserve at least some benefit of the doubt here.)Hill has been a better quarterback than Bradford by every single statistical measure I can find over the course of their respective careers, including quarterback rating (45.6 for Hill to Bradfords 40.5), but the differences are modest and Hill is eight years older. Bradford should give the Vikings a higher floor than the one they had with Hill, especially given the possibility that Hill might have been injured and the Vikings might have been forced into playing Taylor Heinicke or Joel Stave.Bradford can run an offense similar to the one offensive coordinator Norv Turner ran last year with Bridgewater. The Vikings had a quarterback in Bridgewater who was capable of protecting the football, making accurate short- to medium-distance passes and working with run-pass options. When Bradford is on his game, hes capable of doing all of those things. His interception rate is better than league average. He was executing RPOs or at least showing those sorts of looks on just about every series with Chip Kelly and Philadelphia last season. And Bradfords certainly comfortable checking the ball down, though his completion percentage on passes within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage as a pro is actually below league average (66.5 percent against an average of 69.1 percent).Thats where you start getting into the problems with Bradford.Hes not Bridgewater in terms of his accuracy, as the former Louisville star completed 73.2 percent of his passes in that same 10-yard bracket during his first two professional seasons. Bradford is not going to threaten teams with his feet in even the modest way that Bridgewater has as a pro, limiting the effectiveness of those RPOs. And the former first overall pick is a perennial injury risk himself, having missed 33 of 96 possible starts during his six-year pro career.If there was a ceiling to Bradfords game, maybe this would make more sense, but if Bradford was going to break out, wouldnt it have happened by now? Ive seen suggestions that Bradford elevated his game during the final few weeks of the 2015 season after returning from an injury, but Im skeptical. Bradfords numbers did improve over his final five games -- he completed 67 percent of his passes, averaged 7.3 yards per attempt and threw eight touchdowns against four picks while averaging 286 yards per contest -- but his QBR over that stretch was still a 49.7, which was just below Johnny Manziel for 22nd.Look closer at that stretch and a lot of the gloss wears off. He beat the Patriots in a game in which he threw for 120 yards and the New England special teams self-destructed. He threw for 247 yards and a touchdown against a Bills pass defense missing Stephon Gilmore, their top corner. Bradford went for 368 and two touchdowns against the Cardinals, but it was in a 23-point loss in which Bradford also threw two picks and lost a fumble. He lost another fumble for a touchdown against Washington in a 14-point loss, in a game that needed 56 attempts to get to 380 yards. Bradford finished with 320 yards and two touchdowns (with a pick) against the Giants, who had the leagues fifth-worst pass defense. Its also a five-game stretch amid a six-year career that has suggested Bradfords a below-average starting quarterback. This isnt even a Josh McCown-level flash.McCown is an interesting name to bring up because hes one of the quarterbacks Minnesota likely inquired about in trades. Spielman suggested several days ago that teams were asking for crazy things in return for a quarterback. Given that Cleveland just got a fourth-round pick as part of a swap for punter Andy Lee, it wouldnt surprise me if they asked for much more in return for McCown. Other teams likely felt equally as precious about the likes of Brian Hoyer and Mike Glennon.If that were the case, you can probably figure out how the Vikings contorted themselves into making this trade. If they felt it was absolutely necessary to acquire a veteran quarterback and had to have one by the end of the weekend, Minnesota very well might have thought that it was better to give up first- and fourth-round picks for Bradford than, say, a second-rounder for McCown or Glennon. I dont think that logic is sound or justifiable, but it is comprehensible.The acquisition of Bradford also speaks to the possibility that Bridgewater might not be ready for 2017. Glennon would have been a free agent after the year, while McCown will be 38 and might not be worth keeping around. The same could be true of Bradford, but after this trade, the Vikings have him on a relatively friendly contract. Bradfords cap hit for 2016 is $7 million, and the Vikings basically have a one-year unguaranteed option for Bradford for 2017 at $17 million. If Bradford plays well this year, Minnesota could have franchised him next year for something in the $20 million range, but that would have been guaranteed money. Now they can wait and see how Bridgewaters knee heals. If hes ready, given this market, its fair to say that theyll likely find a trade partner to recoup something from the Bradford deal.As for the Eagles, their second contract with Bradford comes to a premature end. They paid Bradford $11 million in bonuses as part of his two-year, $35 million deal, with $5.5 million of that just hitting Bradfords bank account on Thursday. They incurred the opportunity cost of starting Bradford throughout training camp and the preseason without handing those reps to Chase Daniel or first-round pick Carson Wentz (who probably wouldnt have taken them anyway with his rib injury), but essentially that $11 million paid for first- and fourth-round picks.Most NFL teams would happily pay $11 million for a mid-first round pick if they had the opportunity. (In fact, I wonder whether a team like the Browns might think about signing a veteran quarterback each offseason in the future for the sole intent of trading them in August.) The selection is even more valuable for the Eagles, who are pick-starved after the deal to trade up and grab Wentz. Their first-round pick in 2017, now the property of Cleveland, is likely to be more valuable than the one theyve acquired from Minnesota, but to keep things simple, lets cancel out those two 2017 first-round picks and the fourth-rounder they sent in 2016 for the fourth-rounder theyre getting from Minnesota.Including the Dolphins trade, you can make the argument that Philly got Wentz and what will end up as a fourth-round pick from the Browns for their 2016 first- and third-round picks, a 2018 second-rounder, two players they didnt want (Byron Maxwell and Kiko Alonso) and the $11 million cost of holding onto Bradford. I dont know if thats a good trade, necessarily, but its far more palatable than the Wentz deal in a vacuum.Reports suggest the Eagles will turn to Wentz immediately as their starter if hes physically able to play, which seems aggressive. Wentz has missed most of the past three weeks of the preseason with a hairline fracture in his ribs, limiting his work in practice while preventing him from playing. Wentz suggested he would be ready for Week 1, but why rush him back into the lineup when you paid Chase Daniel $12 million in guarantees for this exact situation? If Wentz isnt physically ready, you run the risk of being forced to bench him for subpar play amid the famously forgiving Philly fan base, which wont do wonders for his reputation. If Wentz had been so convincing as to justify the No. 1 spot before the injury, the Eagles would have been giving him the No. 1 reps then, too. I have to admit that I dont see the harm in giving Daniel a couple of weeks as the starter before turning things over to Wentz permanently when hes physically ready.The same is true for Bradford in Minnesota. Vikings fans surely remember the lone disastrous start of Josh Freeman in purple and white, a Monday night game against the Giants in which Freeman went 20-of-53 for 190 yards while posting a 6.5 QBR. That start came two weeks after Freeman had been signed by the team, leaving him precious days to learn the playbook and Minnesota scheme, let alone develop any timing or rapport with his receivers. Freeman suffered a concussion late in the game and never played again for the Vikings.Bradford cant start in Week 1. It would be even more foolish and a quicker time frame than the one the Vikings gave Freeman, which was itself far too short. Were eight days out from Minnesotas opener at Tennessee and 15 from their home opener against Green Bay, the exact number of his days Freeman had before his start. Do you bring Bradford in then? Could he realistically even be ready? What about the following Sunday, when the Vikings travel to Carolina? Thats still probably too soon, but I dont think Minnesota can realistically wait any longer. Even as you move on to the Giants game in Week 4, hes still going to be learning all of this on the fly as Bradford (and Turner) prepare for each weeks specific matchup.The problem of Bradford being totally unfamiliar with Turner and his new scheme is why I think the most popular argument in favor of this trade doesnt make much sense. Smart people around the NFL have suggested that the Vikings needed to make this trade because they needed to compete while Adrian Peterson is still in his prime, and while I can understand the argument, I dont know how much the deal really helps.When Bradford has played in places where he had months and years to prepare, he hasnt been very good. What is going to click for Bradford in Minnesota (on no notice) which hasnt clicked for him elsewhere? After years of disappointing, as he figures his scheme out on the fly, why would he be any better in Minnesota?If anything, the most plausible outcome is that Bradford plays worse than he has elsewhere. Minnesota made this deal out of desperation to try to ensure a level of certainty at quarterback in an attempt to save their 2016. In acquiring Bradford, the Vikings are likely getting a certainty, but not the one they want.Fake Vapormax For Sale . -- Most satisfying to Russ Smith about No. Cheap Nike Vapormax China . He says so-called TRT is only one problem and he wants to go even further than the ban. "Its about time," St-Pierre told reporters at a promotional event in Montreal on Friday. "I think its a good thing. http://www.outletsneakersclearance.com/fake-vans.html . -- Gus Malzahn finally had his day in Fayetteville. Discount Sneakers Online . Vettel, who has already clinched his fourth straight F1 title, enters the finale with a chance to equal Michael Schumachers 13 victories in a year and match the record of nine consecutive wins by Alberto Ascari in the 1952 and 1953 seasons. Wholesale Air Max 90 Cheap . -- Jimmie Johnson held off a teammate, passed a pair of Hall of Famers, and dominated once more at Dover.TORONTO -- Marco Estrada is still dealing with the sore back that forced him to skip his first All-Star Game. Even so, he was effective enough for the Toronto Blue Jays.Jose Bautista, Edwin Encarnacion and Troy Tulowitzki hit solo home runs in the first inning, Estrada snapped a four-start winless streak and Toronto beat the Baltimore Orioles 6-5 on Friday night.Encarnacion reached base three times and scored twice as the Blue Jays won the opener of a three-game series between the top two teams in the AL East, cutting Baltimores division lead to half a game. The Orioles have lost four straight.Estrada (6-4) allowed three earned runs and five hits in six innings.I dont feel 100 percent, Estrada said, but I still feel I can give the team quality innings.On July 6, one day after he was picked as an All-Star, Estrada was put on the 15-day disabled list. He was activated last Friday and took the loss in a 2-1 defeat to Seattle.Originally scheduled to start Wednesday against San Diego, Estrada switched places with R.A. Dickey and was pushed back two days to Friday.I thought Marco was a little bit off with his command, manager John Gibbons said. His changeup was bouncing. They dont normally do that. Maybe the time off affected him.Estrada said the soreness is worst in the early innings before his back loosens up.The more pitches I throw, the better it gets, he said. It never completely goes away but its definitely manageable.Joaquin Benoit worked the seventh, Jason Grilli gave up Manny Machados solo home run in the eighth and Roberto Osuna finished for his 22nd save.Mark Trumbos two-out double gave Baltimore a 2-0 lead in the first but the Blue Jays answered with a trio of solo shots in the bottom half.Bautista sent Kevin Gausmans second pitch of the game off the facing of the second deck, Encarnacion hit a one-out blast and Tulowitzki added a two-out homer.Encarnacions homer was his 28th, third most in majors.Orioles manager Buck Showalter said Gausman never really found his step against the powerful Blue Jays.He made a llot of mistakes with his breaking ball and just elevated a lot of pitches, Showalter said.dddddddddddd He made some good pitches but not enough of them against a good hitting team.It was the second time this season and 35th time in team history the Blue Jays have hit three home runs in an inning. The last time it happened was July 5, when Tulowitzki, Josh Donaldson and Ezequiel Carrera connected in the third off Kansas Citys Chris Young.The Orioles lead the majors with 152 home runs while Toronto is second with 147. The Blue Jays have 15 multihomer innings this season.Machado tied it 3-all when he scored from first base on an infield grounder in the third. With third baseman Donaldson shifted to the right side, Machado broke for third base after Donaldson threw Chris Davis out at first. Catcher Russell Martin scrambled to cover third base but couldnt handle Justin Smoaks throw.Machado scored standing up as the ball rolled down the third base line toward home plate.After throwing seven shutout innings to beat Cleveland in his previous outing, Gausman (2-8) allowed six hits and matched a season-worst by giving up six runs. He lasted three innings, matching his shortest start of the season.This is obviously a big series for us, Gausman said. For me to go out there and just not even be competitive was bad.WELCOMEBaltimore signed former Reds RHP Logan Ondrusek and designated RHP Chaz Roe for assignment. The 31-year-old Ondrusek pitched for Cincinnati from 2010 to 2014. He spent the past two seasons in Japan with the Tokyo Yakult Swallows.BLUE JAYS MOVEBlue Jays: Signed C Erik Kratz to a minor league contract and assigned him to Triple-A Buffalo.UP NEXTOrioles: RHP Yovani Gallardo (3-2, 5.37) is winless in five starts.Blue Jays: LHP J.A. Happ (13-3, 3.27) beat Seattle for his career-high 13th win in his previous start and has won seven straight decisions since his last loss, June 6 at Detroit. ' ' '