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The past 10 seasons the Vikings ran their offense through Adrian Peterson, a once-in-a-generation talent at running back. But this season will be different, and it looks more and more likely that the offense will be built around the talents of quarterback Sam Bradford, who had an effective first season with the Vikings in 2016 despite not arriving until just before the regular season began.
Bradford was able to post career highs in passer rating (99.3), yards passing (3,877), and completion percentage (71.6), which is also the highest mark in NFL history.
But for the Vikings and Bradford there still is some uncertainty, with him in the last year of a two-year contract, and injured former starter Teddy Bridgewater seeming to make strides every day. Bradford was asked how important it is to get an entire offseason with the club to improve the offense.
“Obviously last year was pretty unique, I have never been in that situation, and I don’t think many people have been in that situation,” Bradford said. “But just to be here this offseason, to be able to go through the program, go through the meetings, the installs, really sit down and learn this offense and what we’re trying to do, it’s a much better situation than showing up here however many days, eight or nine, before the first game last year and trying to learn everything on the fly.”
Bradford admitted that even though he put together good numbers, he didn’t have full command of the offense for some time.
“I think the later we got in the year the better I felt with it,” he said. “Obviously going through the change that we did kind of halfway through the season [the resignation of Norv Turner as offensive coordinator], having worked with [new offensive coordinator] Pat [Shurmur], I think that really helped me just because we have a really good relationship and I felt like we were able to communicate. Towards the end of the year I felt like I had a pretty good grasp on things.”
![[Image: blank.gif]](http://apps.startribune.com/circulars/images/blank.gif) Long-term plans
“It’s one of those things that I kind of went through the situation a little bit when I was in Philadelphia and honestly I try not to think about it too much, just because I don’t have a whole lot of control over it,” he said. “I come in here every day trying to get better, trying to be the best teammate, the best quarterback I can be.”
When asked if the team has had any discussions with his agent, Bradford said that he didn’t believe so.
So while he’ll be making $18 million this season, it remains a unique situation for the 29-year-old. But he said that the uncertainty of last season, and the way he and the team responded, should bode well for this year.
“I think I learned a lot about a lot of things last year going through that,” he said. “But you know I think it just makes me grateful to have the opportunity to be here this time of year and be able to go through the offseason program and hopefully prepare myself as you would in a normal year to go out there and play.”
Changes all around
Bradford said he likes the new look of the offensive line.
“Obviously excited about all of the moves that they’ve made,” he said. “I have great faith in Coach Zim [Mike Zimmer] and [General Manager] Rick[Spielman], obviously it’s still early but ... I think everyone is excited.”
And what did he think about Peterson signing with the Saints?
“I was only here a year with Adrian, but obviously he has been a fixture in this building and this community for a long time,’’ Bradford said. ‘‘I think any time someone like that says goodbye it’s tough.
“But I think for the people here who have enjoyed watching him play and have got to watch him do some of the special things he has done, I think it’s always going to be tough watching him play for another team. But with that being said we wish him well.”
Lastly, Bradford said that while it may be a competition between him and Bridgewater, he is more concerned with his teammate’s recovery from a serious injury, something Bradford knows a lot about.
“It has been good to see him with the team, with the offense out here working,” Bradford said. “Obviously I’m familiar with what he’s going through right now, and I know how tough it can be both physically and mentally when you’re going through the rehab process.
“I just try to encourage him, and if he ever needs anything obviously I’m there for him to just kind of give him advice of things I learned going through that twice.”
http://www.startribune.com/vikings-sam-b...436060673/
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