Eagles All-Pro Blasted for Poor Performance: ‘He May Cost Them Their Super Bowl’
All-Pro cornerback James Bradberry of the Philadelphia Eagles has been chastised for his lackluster play this season.
Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon selected eight “disappointing” players who still have “something to prove” this season, and Bradberry was the only Eagles player on the list.
“Perhaps he’s still reeling from that contentious holding penalty in last year’s Super Bowl.” Regardless, he needs to get it together soon or risk costing the Eagles another Super Bowl appearance,” Gagnon wrote on November 10, adding:
“Bradberry will have plenty of opportunities in big spots when the Eagles come out of their Week 10 bye to face the Chiefs, Bills, 49ers and Cowboys in consecutive weeks to kick off the home stretch.”
Is James Bradberry haunted by last year’s big Super Bowl gaffe?
The Eagles and Chiefs were tied 35-35 with 1:54 left in the fourth quarter. Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes connected with wideout JuJu Smith-Schuster on a crucial third-and-8 deep in Eagles territory. Bradberry was called for a defensive holding call while in coverage. It was the final nail in Philly’s coffin, allowing Mahomes and the Chiefs to start over. Kansas City eventually won, 38-35.
Could that one blunder still haunt the experienced corner? It is feasible, but unlikely. Bradberry, to his credit, admitted his error after the game. “It was a holding,” Bradberry stated after Kansas City’s Super Bowl loss, according to NFL.com. “I yanked on his jersey. “I was hoping they’d let it go.”
Bradberry has been a complete professional throughout his eight years in the league, so this is most likely a blip. It’s also possible that the 30-year-old defensive back is aging.
James Bradberry’s Sales Have Dropped Gagnon’s inclusion of Bradberry on his list of players in need of a redemptive second half this year isn’t without validity.
Bradberry has 376 coverage snaps this season. According to Pro Football Focus, opposing quarterbacks have a 118.7 rating when throwing his way this season. According to PFF, he has allowed six touchdowns and 12.7 yards per reception. Bradberry has three PBUs but has failed to intercept a pass.
That’s a substantial decrease from last season. Bradberry surrendered only two touchdowns in 675 coverage snaps last year. His reception rate was 46%. This year, the figure is 56.9%.
When opposing quarterbacks targeted him in coverage in 2022, they had a pathetic 54.2 passer rating. It was his lowest rating of his career, and he was awarded a second-team All-Pro for the first time because of his outstanding play last year. Bradberry was a key component of Philadelphia’s successful 2022 campaign, so it’s no surprise that the organization elected to keep him.
Last summer, the veteran cornerback agreed to a three-year, $38 million contract with little under $32 million guaranteed. If the Eagles release Bradberry after June 1, 2025, they will have a plausible option. If Bradberry’s performance continues to deteriorate, Philadelphia could release him in 2025, saving $4.7 million in contract space that year and $18.83 million the following season in 2026.
