James Bradberry needed to prove himself after being cut by the New York Giants a year ago.

And despite a late blunder in the Super Bowl, it's safe to say he proved his worth.

Bradberry was a critical cog in the 2022 Philadelphia Eagles machine. He earned second-team All-Pro honors with three interceptions and 17 passes defended in the regular season. And in the postseason, he added another intersection and two passes defended, and 10 tackles.

Bradberry feels as though he's earned a long-term contract, but he said he isn't ready to discuss the details of it with the Eagles just yet.

"I don't know what they got planning on over there, and I didn't want to ask about it because I just wanted my mind to be on football," Bradberry said, via the Associated Press. "But we'll talk about it soon."

Why it will be hard to re-sign Bradberry

And talking soon won't be easy. The veteran cornerback explained that his days of taking pay cuts are over — making things interesting for an Eagles' team that is trying to keep its core group together to make another run next season.

"It's kind of hard to put like a percentage on which one is more important," Bradberry said, via Eliot Shorr-Parks of 94 WIP. "It's kind of just based upon a case-by-case scenario. But I do know those two things are probably the most important to me — being on a good roster, having the ability to get to the playoffs and win in the playoffs, but also, I don't want to play for cheap, you know."

If Bradberry is unwilling to take a team-friendly deal, it could make it difficult for Philadelphia to retain his services. The Eagles shouldn't overpay for a 29-year-old cornerback. And odds are they can find a cheaper option to replace his production.

Bradberry made it clear, however, he is not playing football for a buck. He needs a bag.

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Feature image via  Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports