As Sam Bradford heals, Mark Sanchez continues to get better with first team

You can knock him for his past performances. For his ball securityissues, average arm strength and decision making. But what you can’t knock is Mark Sanchez 2015, a guy whose arm strength andconfidence level has impressed many in camp thus far.

“I know I can play, I know I can play in this system,” Sanchez saidof coming into what seems like another quarterback competition, at least according to Chip Kelly. “If it’s a competition, the best player is going to play, that’s how I have to be.”

Sanchez made it clear since being re-signed this offseason, to what seems to be a lucrative backup quarterback contract, that he can compete for the starting role.

The second-year Eagle has been taking the majority of snaps as the first-team quarterback during OTAs and minicamp. It’s a leg upSanchez can continue to take advantage of over the next few days with Bradford limited because of his current health.

In all likelihood, a healthy Bradford should be the starter week one in Atlanta. Sanchez, however, could be in contention for the starting gig either way. He sure looks like a starter.

“I’m anticipating guys more,” Sanchez said. “Understanding guys breaks and body language. I feel like I have that nailed down, which helps me think of next level things when reading a defense, you get your contingency planning down and that helps my mentality.”

A mentality that acquires a lot of hard work instead of talent. In which Sanchez seems to be imposing upon for himself in Kelly’s system, a system that seems beneficial to his self-esteem.

“There’s no substitution for repetition, practice, film studying and all of that stuff,” Sanchez said, referring to the typical workload. “They are pushing us hard, guys are tired, but we work on the recovery and that has to do with why I am feeling better.”