Is Sam Bradford a Bust?

     With one game to go in his third season, Sam Bradford looks to lead the Rams to an 8 win season, their first season in which they have a better than .500 record since 2003. Yet, the Rams still have yet to make a playoff appearance and Bradford has yet to really burst on to the scene as a prolific quarterback. So the question is, is Sam Bradford a bust as he concludes his third NFL season? The answer, as of right now, is an unequivocal yes.
 

While young quarterbacks like Russell Wilson and Colin
Kaepernick are flourishing, how come Sam Bradford hasn't
had the same success in St. Louis? 

     Let's go to square one. Bradford in in his third season and he has yet to lead the Rams to the playoffs. While Bradford did have the Rams one win away from the playoffs up in Seattle two years ago, the fact is, Bradford has a pedestrian (to put it nicely) record of 15-25-1 as the Rams starter. Compared to other recent first round picks in their first three years as starters, Bradford's three year record does not compare to Matt Ryan's 32-16 mark, Joe Flacco's four road playoff victories or Aaron Rodgers 31-22 record that includes a Super Bowl title. But there is a possibility that Bradford did not have the luxury of playing for a team as talented as the Ravens for example. Upon looking closely, you notice that if anything, Bradford was holding the Rams back. In each of Bradford's three seasons, the Rams defense has been significantly better than the Bradford-led Rams offense. In 2010, when the Rams faced a win or go home situation in week seventeen to win the NFC West, it was the Rams 8th ranked defense in Expected Points Added that carried their 27th ranked offense. 2012 has been the Rams best offensive season under Bradford, yet they still rank only 21st in offensive EPA. You can make all the excuses for Bradford if you want; he doesn't have many weapons, he has a make-shift offensive line, etc. But a quarterback drafted number one overall is supposed to make all of that improve. Indianapolis in 2011 ranked 26th in offensive EPA. Andrew Luck comes in and the Colts jump fifteen spots in the rankings, up to 11th. Carolina was last in the NFL in EPA in 2010, but leaped all the way to fourth in EPA in 2011 with Cam Newton engineering the offense. Sam Bradford is not in the same class as fellow number one picks like Andrew Luck and Cam Newton. Not only that, he is barely in the same class as mid-late first round picks like Josh Freeman, Joe Flacco and Andy Dalton. Sam Bradford, three years in to his pro career, is a bust.

     While Bradford, for a number one overall pick, has not worked out as the Rams had hoped for so far, Bradford has the potential to be a good quarterback that can have success with the Rams. The defense should continue to improve under Jeff Fisher and if the Rams can retain some of their skill position players, they have a nice little set of skills players. In the next year or two, if the Rams can get some more talent on the offensive line to protect Bradford, I think Bradford is capable of having a break out season, potentially culminating in a playoff run and a Pro Bowl appearance.