Strange signals from Bradford

I’ve got to admit, I have no idea what to make of Sam Bradford’s statement that surgery is an option.

He goes from the brink of playing vs. Miami — sharing snaps all of last week — to talking about if, not when, he might return to quarterbacking Oklahoma.

Bradford said any decision he makes will be based solely on his ability to play this season and will have nothing to do with his NFL draft status. Bradford also said there was plenty to play for, despite OU’s two losses, and he’s right about that.

It’s a silly mentality that a season loses all meaning if a squad is eliminated from national-championship consideration. Heck, as Bradford said, you can’t even accept the idea that the BCS title game is out of reach, even if it’s true. LSU reached the title game — and won it — with two losses in 2007, one of them after Thanksgiving.

But Bradford’s health remains a mystery. How could he still be unsure if he can even return this season, if his health was good enough last week to get Bob Stoops to Thursday before announcing Landry Jones as the starter.

Perhaps the Bradford camp asked for a little slowdown on the Sam comeback, to make sure. Kent Bradford, Sam’s dad, told cbssportsline.com last week that ideally, Sam would have two more weeks off. Then it became partially true. Maybe he’s waiting for Texas, next week. Bradford certainly isn’t needed this week against Baylor.

If you want my best guess, I’ll say Texas will be Bradford’s return. That’s what I thought all along, until the practices last week made me think Bradford just might start in Miami. But after last week and Bradford’s comment Tuesday, anything sounds possible.