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Rick Spielman Explains His Side of the Sam Bradford Trade
By Jim Adair
Published:
A couple of weeks ago, Howie Roseman opened up about how he was able to seemingly fleece the Vikings and get a second and first round pick for lame-duck QB Sam Bradford. We were convinced some kind of wizardry was involved. But speaking to Sports Illustrated’s Jacob Feldman, Vikings GM Rick Spielman explains that it was just good old-fashioned human relationships that got it done:
Spielman also thought he could get Bradford. He made calls all around the league after Bridgewater dislocated his knee in practice on the last Tuesday in August, but by the end of the week, he focused on making a deal with Eagles GM Howie Roseman. While Roseman was content to let Bradford start for his team, Spielman figured that the QB might be available given Wentz’s presence behind him on the depth chart. Plus, Spielman had the benefit of a strong relationship with Roseman. The two had made a number of draft-day deals over the years (Roseman has been the Eagles GM since 2010; Spielman has run the Vikings since 2012), but their rapport goes beyond the negotiating table.
“We share the same agent, Bob LaMonte,” Spielman explains. “He has a dinner for his clients at the owner meetings, so we’ve gotten together socially … I’ve met Howie’s wife. I know his kids. He knows my wife. There’s more than just a business relationship.”
While other teams tried to take advantage of Spielman’s desperation—“There was blood in the water and teams knew it,” he told Peter King—Spielman could tell Roseman would be willing to make a fair deal. So, that Friday night, he got aggressive, offering a 2017 first-rounder and an additional pick that could be as high as a second-rounder…General managers might be some of the most competitive people around, but trying to hoodwink each other is bad for business. Relationships are the bedrock of negotiations, in Spielman’s eyes, and his connection with Roseman proved critical as they hammered out a deal with the clock ticking.
On the surface it looked like highway robbery – even though Sleeves looks good in Minnesota – but Spielman insists “it’s not something where we are trying to get one over on you or me…it’s working together to come out with something beneficial for everyone.” In Spielman’s eyes the trade was even. And if Bradford keeps up what he’s doing in purple and gold I’m sure Vikings fans will feel the same way. We’re pretty sure it was still a heist.
When he's not writing about sports here or ranting about them on Twitter, Jim is probably watching X-Files on Netflix or drinking a beer somewhere. Jim has nothing against hockey, it's just not his style. He once met Duce Staley at a Sixers game.