The Philadelphia Eagles had a heartbreaking NFL season. The issues that plagued the football team saw its height when head coach Chip Kelly was let go following his inability to take advantage of the skills of the players on the roster. One of the major disappointments regarding newly acquired stars is DeMarco Murray. The former Dallas Cowboys star was reportedly not shy about expressing his dismay over the way the roster was handled last NFL season.
This pushed Philadelphia Eagles fans to call for his exit while supporters of the Tony Romo squad urged the team to take him back. While the future of Murray was deliberated, it looks like one member of the Darren Sproles squad wedged free of the team and is now raring to create his own Super Bowl future. In a surprising move, the Philadelphia Eagles traded backup quarterback Mark Sanchez to the Denver Broncos for a 2017 NFL conditional draft pick.
While other players might have gotten depressed over the news, Sanchez was nothing but exhilarated. The quarterback shared that this move offers him a golden opportunity to show off his skills in the gridiron. Moreover, this will take him out of the shadow of Sam Bradford - a chance that could place him on the same level as the great Peyton Manning.
"This is one of the best organizations in sports, not just football," shared Sanchez of the Denver Broncos during a press conference. The former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback added, "So when I got the phone call and (Eagles GM) Howie Roseman said, 'I'm trading you to Denver,' I was like, 'Denver, Colorado? Are you kidding? OK, yeah, let's do it.' This just an absolute dream come true."
The Denver Broncos are currently searching for quarterbacks to fill the void left by Manning and backup Brock Osweiler. Hence, this presents an interesting spot for Sanchez. While he was not assured of the starting position, the Denver Broncos front office and coaching staff appear keen in giving him the chance to compete for the top job. According to the former Philadelphia Eagles star, this was the same message he got from John Elway.
"Get in here and compete your butt off for a starting role," said Sanchez via USA Today, referring to the things the Denver Broncos general manager told him. He added, "That's my goal to start this coming fall and be ready to play and help this team win."
Sanchez further shared, "I'm battled-tested; I've been through the fire.'' He continued to say, "I've seen a lot in this league. I'm not married. I don't have a girlfriend. I don't have kids. I just want to play ball and I want to win. I really want to win, and I'm so lucky to be in a spot like this."
With Sanchez out, the Philadelphia Eagles are now looking for a backup for Bradford. This inevitably becomes another opportunity for fans of Tim Tebow to push his entry to the team. In the past NFL season, a number of sports analysts noted that the 2007 Heisman Trophy winner was a better fit for the Philadelphia Eagles than Bradford. However, then head coach Kelly thought otherwise.
"[M]oving the ball methodically is important in the NFL, and Bradford hasn't shown the accuracy needed to do it consistently with the short passing game. The run game isn't dynamic or powerful enough," urged Chris Korman of USA Today in his address to Kelly. He added, "Follow your instincts and go against what common sense might dictate. Bring Tebow back."
