Minnesota Vikings: Same expectations with Bradford
By Ryan Palmer
Sam Bradford was brought to the Minnesota Vikings to help solve a seemingly desperate situation. The Vikings are built to win now, and Bradford will help make that happen.
Coach Mike Zimmer and GM Rick Spielman had to take a calculated risk. In a trade that sent the Minnesota Vikings first- and conditional fourth- round draft choice(s) to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for Bradford’s services.
Teddy Bridgewater is not only going to miss the 2016 NFL season, but most of 2017’s as well. The Vikings needed a long-term solution to replace Bridgewater. Unfortunately Shaun Hill was not the sixteen game band-aid the organization was looking for. The thirty-six year old is still considered a great fill in starter, meaning a game or two, but an entire season under center would’ve been a stretch.
Losing a potential franchise QB stinks. Losing him a few weeks prior to the regular season opener hurts even worse. However, when Sam Bradford gets up to speed in Norv Turner’s system he will be just as good, if not better, than Teddy could have been in his third year.
Preparations for Week One began today at Winter Park.
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) September 5, 2016
PHOTOS: https://t.co/U2g0JYo7eo pic.twitter.com/6ZVivvR8MN
So, which team comes out better?
Only Nostradamus can answer that question. It seems to favor Philly at the moment, but what if the Minnesota Vikings make a solid run into the playoffs? Even minus Teddy Bridgewater, this team would have still won a lot of football games. Teddy’s numbers weren’t exactly earth-shattering last year either. Not bashing the kid while he’s down, it’s just the truth.
The @Vikings got a damn good man to replace a damn good man. @teddyb_h2o #SamBradford @OU_Football https://t.co/CC42QokwW3
— Jim Ross (@JRsBBQ) September 3, 2016
Teddy Bridgewater’s 2015 statistics-
Year |
|---|
Team
CMP%
YDS
TD
INT
Rating
2015
Vikings
65.3
3,231
14
9
88.7
Sam Bradford’s 2015 statistics-
Year |
|---|
Team
CMP%
YDS
TD
INT
Rating
2015
Eagles
65.0
3,725
19
14
86.4
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Even with Shaun Hill starting all season the Vikings would have finished in the top 25% of the league. Meaning our 2017 first round draft pick will likely fall into the latter half of the first round, say 20th or higher. Could we miss out on that future changing franchise player, of course, but either way we would waste two to three years waiting for the next Peyton Manning to develop.
One of Bradford’s biggest drawbacks seems to be his salary. At an average of $17.5 million per season, he might seem a little overpaid. Considering that the Washington Redskins are giving Kirk Cousins almost $20 million in 2016, Bradford may soon seem like a bargain. We now have a veteran starter at quarterback that can help fill the almost two year void until Bridgewater’s return.
Next: The Curse of being a Vikings Fan
It’s shaping up to be playoffs or bust for the upcoming 2016 Minnesota Vikings season. It feels weird still having such high expectations for a team that just lost their starting QB. The Vikes however are built around a strong running game, and an even stronger defense. Sam Bradford is just what Minnesota needed to keep them on the winning track.