Mike Zimmer Talks Futures of Keenum, Bridgewater and Bradford

[Ralphie]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/27555...m-bradford
Soooo....Sammy???

[Guest]

What do we know about the possibility of tolling Teddy? I've heard a lot of rumors and speculation, and I know it's not very likely, but is it out of the question? Geoff, thoughts? 

[Guest]

Crappy speculation from Bleacher report based on Tomasson tweets.  Oh boy.  And with the continued harping on the "Zimmer never committed to Keenum" line. 

[Guest]

@MaroonBells said:
What do we know about the possibility of tolling Teddy? I've heard a lot of rumors and speculation, and I know it's not very likely, but is it out of the question? Geoff, thoughts? 

it would take a ballsy move to try it and even then it will end up in court.   Teddy could have played this year,  the team chose not to play him so thus no toll.  Teddy was able to pass a physical in time so you get down to the wording of the law and the union would likely win this one.  otherwise teams would be tolling all kinds of contracts due to injuries and playing all sorts of games to avoid the cap.

Please pass the word, :p   the option of tolling was pretty much off the table early last fall even though it keeps resurfacing.  I would think that these sports writers that like to throw it out there would take a minute and ask Spielman for an explanation so they dont keep looking like fools.

[Guest]

Its going to be a VERY interesting offseason for our QB position. We are without a QB and OC. We need a legit O (even though it was Zim's D collapsing that cost us a trip home!) to get to the SB and now we don't even have a QB under contract?! wow. We don't have an OC to get with the coach or Ricky to figure out needs? A coach to be working with the guy to develop a playbook?
Maybe Sloter is looking stronger than thought? haha.... Are we starting fresh with a guy like Smith or Lamar? Are we going to keep the handicap stickers with Teddy or Sleeves? Or wait for the magic to run out, which it seemingly already has if you look at the last few games by keeping Keenum?
Can the Vikes FINALLY figure out a QB for more than a year or 2? A QB for most teams (especially a 1st rounder) lasts multiple years and often times probowls. But in Minny... A 1st rounder gets you a few games and a free knee surgery.

[Guest]

Who would have a higher price tag, Sam or Case?  Even if Sam is 100%, would anyone trust it?  I wonder if a Sam and Teddy package would be about the same as Case's value (assuming it's around 25mil)?

[Guest]

@HappyViking said:
Who would have a higher price tag, Sam or Case?  Even if Sam is 100%, would anyone trust it?  I wonder if a Sam and Teddy package would be about the same as Case's value (assuming it's around 25mil)?

why would Sam and Teddy both sign?   They are both guys that likely think they are starters in this league and neither of them can afford to sit around for another year or 2 behind somebody else.   I dont see us keeping 2 of the 3.   I think we may see who ever the new OC is maybe try and bring in a "his guy" to help implement any new system,  even if its a journeyman that would just likely be a #2.

[Guest]

@JimmyinSD said:


why would Sam and Teddy both sign?   

I know, I know!   'Cause combined we'd have a QB with two good legs?

[Guest]

@greediron said:
Crappy speculation from Bleacher report based on Tomasson tweets.  Oh boy.  And with the continued harping on the "Zimmer never committed to Keenum" line. 

You have to be careful with Tomasson's tweets.  I sat in my first Zimmer press conference on Sunday, and it is clear that he is annoyed by Tomasson.  Chris asked 3 questions of Mike on Sunday, and each was met with either yes, or no answers. 
Personally, I think it is a bit unfortunate that Case was not better supported by Mike publically, until his play was so good, he simply had to start.
I have no idea where Bridgewater stands, he just feels like he is on the outside looking in since the Washington game.  I think (but don't know) that he expected to be re-inserted as the starter by the last 4-5 games.  I think had Sam been healthy all year, he would not have expected to supplant a guy who had been starting most of the 2 years he was out. 
And then Sam.  He has a whale of talent, is still young at 30, but is injury-prone.  Just a fact.  Physically, he is bigger than Case or Teddy.  Case has the best mobility to buy time, Sam the most accurate, and Teddy is a mixed bag - usually calm in the pocket, can read a defense and doesn't make a ton of mistakes, but also had been very iffy on his passing game beyond 20 yards.
So, all that said, if I am the coach - these are the things I do (in order of preference)
* Sign both Bradford and Keenum for about $25M-$30M a year.  Figure out in the first year, which one is the guy.  Let Bridgewater go in FA
* Sign either Bradford or Keenum and keep Bridgewater - similar price tag.
* Keep just Bradford and go with Sloter as the #2
* Keep just Keenum and go with Sloter as the #2
* Go get Kirk Cousins and go with Sloter as the #2
* Go get Alex Smith and go with Sloter as the #2 (at 33, Smith is a short term fix, then Sloter in 2-3 years)
* Go with Bridgewater and go with Sloter as the #2 (I don't hate Bridgewater, but I just don't know if we have the Bridgewater we had right before he got hurt, or a changed QB.  He had been more of a game manager for his first 2 years, and seemed about to break through in preseason 2016, but we have almost no data points except his short 2017 debut vs Cincy)


My biggest fear is that we have our QB for the next 5 years on our roster now, and we decide to let him go and he blows-it-up somewhere else, while we keep the one who either gets injured or doesn't pan out (like Randall Cunningham in 1999, while Brad Johnson went on to great success in Washington and a Super Bowl title in Tampa)

[Guest]

You can just see how this whole thing played out.

T:  Hey Zimmer, big loss you had there.  Can you commit to Keenum as a Viking for 2018?
Z:  We'll complete our end of the year reviews and evaluating all of our talent before we proceed with making decisions on our free agents.
T:  How about Bridgewater, is he in your plans for 2018?
Z:  Like I said before, we need to complete our reviews before we make plans for 2018.

...

T:  tweets:  Zimmer hates Keenum and Bridgewater.