The Minnesota Vikings’ quarterback problem continues to pile up as the season progress with starting signal-caller Sam Bradford likely to miss more games with a bone bruise in his left knee. This is just the latest blow to the Vikings seemingly neverending search for a franchise quarterback. To make things worse, veteran NFL insider Albert Breer of MMQB believes one of the Vikings top quarterbacks – Teddy Bridgewater the other – will be up for grabs in March.
Bradford or Cousins
Breer mentioned Bradford and Bridgewater in the long list of quarterbacks that could potentially hit the free agency market.
Prior to the season, there were thoughts about the Vikings signing Bradford to a long term deal, but it does seem the idea is out of the picture after the former no.1 pick suffered another injury.
Vikings medical staff confirmed that Bradford is suffering from wear and tear in the same knee that was surgically repaired twice to fix a torn ACL. San Diego Chargers doctor David Chao, per Kevin Seifert of ESPN, also believes Bradford’s injury is as result of the femur and tibia jammed together without muscle absorbing the impact and timetable for recovery usually takes weeks.
As for Bridgewater, his rehabilitation is going well, although there were concerns about how he will perform in full contact practices and live games 15 months after that gruesome knee injury.
Minnesota has until Week 11 to open a three-week window that allows Bridgewater to practice with the team (not count against the 53-man roster). Should the Vikings decide not to reactivate the QB, he will be ineligible to play for the remainder of 2017 NFL season. Like Bradford, Bridgewater’s current deal will expire at the end of the season but the NFL allows teams to get the contract of players on PUP tolled.
“Neither Sam Bradford nor Teddy Bridgewater is playing right now, and one of the two will almost certainly be in Minnesota as starter in 2018,” Breer notes.
Cousins to Vikings is possible
The Vikings have an opportunity to solve their QB dilemma as early as next year with a deep free agency class of signal-callers. According to ESPN’s Mike Sando, the Vikings have the money to sign Cousins with all QBs contracts expiring at the end of the season.
However, the writer thinks the Cousins to Vikings scenario will only happen if Bradford continues to struggle with injuries. “Bradford could return to health and play well enough for Minnesota to re-sign him during the season, which would remove the Vikings from the market for another veteran,” per Sando.
