If you were to ask any fan of the Washington Redskins who they thought was most likely to sign with their team at the start of the 2020 free agency period, a good majority of them would have likely said James Bradberry, a cornerback from the Carolina Panthers.
He’s a veteran guy who still has a lot left in the tank, and he has a great deal of experience playing with Ron Rivera, now with the Redskins. Washington was in need of a CB who can plug in and play, and Bradberry was looking for a new team. The fit seemed too perfect.
However, Bradberry knew that he wasn’t going to end up in Washington, but he kept quiet about it. According to ESPN’s Jordan Raanan, his expected contract demands were going to be too high for Washington, as they were looking for someone cheaper.
Bradberry, who had been a four-year starter for Rivera with the Carolina Panthers, knew a reunion wasn’t happening. He, somewhat characteristically, decided to keep quiet. The Redskins valued Bradberry similarly to the Panthers, and his representatives found out at the NFL scouting combine that he wouldn’t be returning.
In the end, Bradberry ended up getting what he wanted, landing with the New York Giants and earning his three-year contract worth $43.5 million, paying him just less than $15 million per season. Now he will get the chance to reunite with his old coach twice a year for the foreseeable future.
