Cardinals' Wilks reiterates Bradford will remain starting QB

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Sam Bradford will remain the starter despite the team selecting Josh Rosen 10th overall.

Bradford signed a two-year contract worth up to $20 million in March to become the presumptive starting quarterback, but the Cardinals made an aggressive move to select Rosen, widely assumed to be their quarterback of the future.

Cardinals head coach Steve Wilks confirmed Bradford is the starter while promoting the spirit of open competition.

"We're pushing everybody to start," Wilks said Friday. "I've stated this several times: Sam Bradford is our starter. We gotta go out there with 11 guys and Sam's going to be the first guy out there. But everybody's fighting for a position, so I'm not going to hold (Rosen) back at all.

"I want guys competing, I want guys fighting for a starting job. Whoever ends up winning the position, that's who's going to end up playing."

Bradford provides veteran experience and can bridge the gap in what's expected to be a transitional year for the Cardinals. The veteran quarterback completed 71.6 percent of his passes for 20 touchdowns against five interceptions in 2016 as a member of the Minnesota Vikings. Bradford's 2017 campaign was limited to two games due to a knee injury.

Rosen, on the other hand, was a prodigious high school recruit who met the hype at UCLA and is looking to push for a starting role immediately. Despite Wilks' assurances, this could be one of the most captivating quarterback battles to monitor over the summer.