Sam Bradford is the Vikings starter barring injury, and he is coming off the record 71.6% completion percentage he threw for in 2016. He was so good that the Vikings are not rushing Teddy Bridgewater back from his major knee injury suffered in practice last year, and they have not picked up Teddy's option for the fifth year. You can lose your job due to injury, and I think that is what just happened to Bridgewater.
Teddy is very good
The sad thing about Teddy Bridgewater is that he is a good player, but he had not proven himself enough when he got hurt last season.
Based on what the Vikings had seen, they had reason to believe that they needed to see more. Bridgewater missed the season in which he would have shown them more, and then he had to sit out the whole season while Bradford had one of the best seasons anyone could have.
Bradford was better
Sam Bradford has already flamed with the Rams, and he was shipped off to Eagles. They sent him to Vikings because they needed anyone who could help them, and he had a resurgence. He has made more than enough money considering the massive contract he signed when he was drafted, and now he has a chance to help bring the Vikings back to prominence. They are not necessarily good enough to compete with the Packers, but they have enough talent to take a wild card spot.
Bradford cannot repeat last season
Throwing for 71.6% in a season is difficult to do, and it is something that I would not even think Peyton Manning or Tom Brady could do. However, the Vikings know that they can trust Bradford with the ball. Someone who completes that many passes will likely keep the job, and then they can send Teddy to another team for a draft pick.
They have to get value back for him before he becomes a free agent. They might be able to entice a team like the Jets if they get desperate, or they could convince the Rams to take him because they are over Jared Goff. The Redskins could take him because they do not want to pay Kirk Cousins, and they could find out if the Jags want to give him a try instead of Blake Bortles.
I like the Bradford Vikings
The Sam Bradford Vikings are much better than we thought they would be. I have been shocked at how well he fits in with Mike Zimmer, and he has given Bradford a new career. I fully expected Bradford to be out of football after the Eagles, and I know that he is happy to have found a home in Minnesota. The boy who only got one scholarship offer is now on a team that is all his.
