The Tomlin Factor Could Make James Bradberry A Worthwhile Risk
Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports
Even diehard NFL fans are overwhelmed by the flurry of information as teams make their final moves to get down to a 53-man roster. Text threads and group DMs are filled with Schefter Bombs as recognizable names go on the move. Your favorite team’s fanbase is currently all-in on the idea that the guy their GM picked up wasn’t another organization’s trash, but a hidden treasure. The Reddit thread about even the smallest move probably has 1,000 comments as we speak.
The reality is these post-cutdown signings and trades rarely make a noticeable impact. In fact, Dave Bryan of Steelers Depot noted that the Pittsburgh Steelers have made 22 of these late roster additions since 2012 via signing or trade. Only one, Joe Hayden, went on to be an impact player. While it would be nice for the Steelers to grab themselves another Hayden-like piece, the reality suggests it isn’t happening.
But what if the Steelers can find a middle ground this year? There has to be a spectrum, right? It’s not all scrubs with a Joe Hayden hiding among them, someone has to fall in between those two points. Maybe not an impact player, but someone who provides a meaningful upgrade over what Pittsburgh has in-house.
James Bradberry has entered the chat.
Yes, that James Bradberry. The one all of your friends in Philly have told you is absolutely cooked. The guy who got thrashed by Philadelphia Eagles fans as their defense fell apart last year. The CB who gave up 11 touchdowns and a passer rating of 114.3 when targeted last season.
Are you sold yet????
Hear me out.
Current rumors have Bradberry on his way out of town one way or another.
𝗥𝗨𝗠𝗢𝗥 𝗔𝗟𝗘𝗥𝗧:
The #Eagles are strongly considering releasing DB James Bradberry ahead of Tuesdays roster cut down deadline.The Eagles have explored trade options but no one is interested. pic.twitter.com/TqY4zqQfk1
— NFL Notifications (@NFLNotify) August 26, 2024
There is a world where Bradberry exits the Eagles’ dysfunction and meets Mike Tomlin’s standard of excellence, creating a low-risk, high-reward situation. It’s easy to point the finger at the 31-year-old veteran — who was indeed very bad last year — but it doesn’t tell the whole story. The locker room situation was so bad in Philadelphia last season that they felt the need to salvage the situation by bringing Matt Patricia midway through the year, then bumped defensive coordinator Sean Desai upstairs to install Patricia as the defense’s play-caller. Coach Nick Sirianni was rumored to lose his job in the offseason, but somehow managed to hold on.
There seems to be an extreme dysfunction between the coaching staff and the players in Philadelphia, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Even Darius Slay, who still made the Pro Bowl, had a not-great year by his standards.
Go back to 2022, however, and Bradberry’s story was very different. Playing under a different scheme helmed by Jonathan Gannon, Bradberry tallied 3 INTs, 17 passes defended, and 44 tackles. His 51.6 passer rating while targeted was second-best in the NFL. He was also a Pro Bowler in 2020 and voted the 74th best player in the league by his peers in the 2021 version of the NFL’s Top 100. Sure, cornerbacks can fall off the cliff quickly, but it’s just as easy to believe that coaching changes and a toxic environment were the real culprits for his dip in production.
And speaking of coaches and environment, if there is anyone who can revitalize someone like Bradberry, it’s Tomlin. Not only is he a great head coach and an elite defensive mind, Tomlin’s long history as a defensive backs specialist could elevate a player who’d be coming to town with a massive chip on his shoulder.
The team is in desperate need of a slot corner now that Cam Sutton is suspended, the Beanie Bishop experiment is over, and Grayland Arnold is out for the year. Why not take a shot on a former playmaker and see if a shift to the inside helps him get back to his former greatness?
The Steelers would likely have competition for the veteran, should he become available. “The obvious answer is for Bradberry to go to Arizona.” Alex Ballantine of Bleacher Report wrote. “His elite 2022 was in part because of defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon, who is now the head coach of the Cardinals. However, he could also reunite with another former coach. Patrick Graham holds the defensive coordinator job in Las Vegas and Bradberry played for him with the New York Giants.”
Despite the above connections, the Tomlin Factor could be enough to draw Bradberry in. His culture and respect for veterans are qualities that go a long way in player circles. As last year’s failed CB signing Patrick Peterson noted, the Steelers “really benefit by the absolute rock-solid leadership of Mike Tomlin… and you have a built-in advantage and edge because players really enjoy playing in this city and for this coach.”
It didn’t work out for Peterson, but that doesn’t make his words any less true. And James Bradberry might not be a Joe Hayden-level solution, but he doesn’t need to be. He just needs to land somewhere in the middle between Hayden and a warm body. If he can do that and be a bridge until Sutton’s return, he will be worth the dramatic text messages you’ll rush to send to your friends about his arrival.
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