Mike Zimmer has finally made a decision about the quarterback situation in Minnesota, and it appears that his decision is to not make a decision, yet. But on Friday, the Vikings had conceded to a first-round pick and the teams ironed out the details from there. The Vikings were expected to start Shaun Hill at quarterback vs. the Tennessee Titans. He didn’t rule out Bradford, either, with the game at Tennessee six days away.
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The Vikings dealt two draft picks, including a first-rounder in 2017, for Bradford after Teddy Bridgewater sustained a massive injury to his left knee. After a trade with Denver couldn’t be worked out, Bradford returned as the starter and played well in the preseason in new coach Doug Pederson’s offense.
“We have a good football team, a young football team”. “By no means am I knocking Shaun Hill”. Immediate action for Bradford is certainly possible, though.
“That’s the goal, you know, to progress to that point to where I feel comfortable enough to get out there and play (Sunday) if I’m needed to, ” Bradford said. “I’m going to come in and give it everything I have”, Bradford said.
Bradford, though, has a lot to learn in the short span of the next few days to be trusted to start against the Titans – instead of Hill, who knows the offense. “I watched every game Sam played previous year, and the last three games”. He began the season as the team’s backup quarterback to Teddy Bridgewater, who is out for the year with a torn ACL and other structural damage in his knee.
The players the team brought in and kept during their housecleaning before the dawn of the Zimmer era in Minnesota continue to age as well. “That’s the way he took it”. Thankfully, rebuilding around a generational talent like Adrian Peterson and using draft picks and trades wisely have put the franchise in a position where they are contenders now.
But on further reflection, the designation of Hill as the starter makes sense. The Vikings have a bunch of really good young players and I think they are bringing back something like 97 percent of the defensive snaps from previous year.
To help Bradford’s chances at playing versus the Titans on Sunday, his familiarity with current Minnesota tight ends coach Pat Shurmur could end up helping speed up the learning process before kickoff. The two were teammates with the Rams in 2014, when Hill had to step in for an injured Bradford and start seven games.
It will be interesting to see what the future holds for Bradford in Minnesota.
“It’s very unfortunate to have the injury happen”, Peterson said.
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Also Wednesday, starting wide receiver Charles Johnson and tackle Jeremiah Sirles both returned to practice after having been out with injuries.
