If Sam Bradford is healthy, should he be Case Keenum’s backup in the playoffs?
The last time we saw Sam Bradford, he re-aggravated a knee injury that he suffered in a dominating Week 1 performance over the New Orleans Saints. Three months later, Bradford has a chance to be activated again.
Head coach Mike Zimmer said Wednesday that Bradford will practice next week and the Vikings will have the opportunity to bring him off injured reserve.
“He says he feels good,” Zimmer said. “He’s been working out and doing things. Getting on the field, he’s throwing the ball and doing workouts.”
The Vikings’ head coach would not commit to whether Bradford would be available during the playoffs.
“We’ll see when we practice,” he said. “All I’ve done is talk to him. I haven’t watched him work out or do any of those things.”
If Bradford does look good in practice next week, the Vikings would have a decision to make: Do they make Bradford the backup quarterback for the opening playoff game or Teddy Bridgewater?
The argument for Bradford starts with offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur, who designed the 2017 offense with Bradford in mind. In the one game he was healthy, the Vikings’ opening-week starter threw for 346 yards an three touchdowns against the New Orleans Saints – who the Vikings very well may face in the postseason.
Over the last two years, Bradford has appeared in 17 games. Bridgewater has only been in one game since the beginning of 2016, throwing two passes at the end of the Vikings’ win over the Cincinnati Bengals.
If there’s rust to be shaken off, Bradford has a lot less built up. And his knee injury wasn’t as severe as Bridgewater’s – not even close. For Bradford, the issue was pain. Bridgewater fought back from an injury that could have ended his career.
http://www.1500espn.com/vikings-2/2017/12/sam-bradford-healthy-case-keenums-backup-playoffs/
Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger!
thats a question that can only be answered by those that see him in practice. based on our last view of him and how limited he was and tentative to expose his knee to any contact... at all, I would be tentative to say he should be in there. it would be nice to see Teddy get about a half tomorrow to really shake the rust off and then get Sam a shit load of extra work the next 2 weeks so that the coaches can have a better feel for who to hand the ball to if something were to go south with Case in the playoffs.
When it rains it pours in Vikingland
After years of searching for a QB, we now have two former number one draft picks
Both fighting for the back up spot ?
Just one of several great stories during this historic season
I dont think any of us could have imagined this thread title right after game 2...
We would have been like "WTF, are you kidding?"
That's a tough call. As much as I love Bradford, he's not as mobile as Teddy, and he hasn't been practicing for weeks like Teddy has. After a couple weeks, Sam may show in practice that he's ready to go, but if the decision were made tomorrow it would likely be Teddy Bridgewater
@"JimmyinSD" said: thats a question that can only be answered by those that see him in practice. based on our last view of him and how limited he was and tentative to expose his knee to any contact... at all, I would be tentative to say he should be in there. it would be nice to see Teddy get about a half tomorrow to really shake the rust off and then get Sam a shit load of extra work the next 2 weeks so that the coaches can have a better feel for who to hand the ball to if something were to go south with Case in the playoffs.to be fair the last time we saw Teddy he was very tenative and limited. I just hope it doesnt become an issue.
An X factor with Bradford is his knowledge of the offense and schemes Shurmar runs. He should have a solid understanding of what we have called in his absence and probably understands why we call certain plays.
He certainly will need to knock the rust off.
If Bradford can hang in the pocket and he's comfortable, he might be closer to "New Orleans" Bradford than "Chicago" Bradford. Chicago Bradford should probably be 3rd string behind Teddy. N.O. Bradford should be the #2.
Hard to say without watching him go...
I think Bradford if he is healthy and ready to play. I do have a follow up kind of question. What happens financially if Case is injured, Bradford goes in, and also gets injured in the same or next game? Does their contracts toll over to 2018? If not, what is the cap impact?
It would have been pretty sweet to give Keenum the start and the scripted series, then let Bradford and Teddy rotate around against Chicago.
A healthy, confident Bradford is a guy who could easily start. There was some talk about Teddy and having realistic expectations about our offense; not that he couldnt play good but rather that it would hard to play "perfect" like Keenum has. I don't know if the floor is as low, per say, with Bradford. He is rusty and hasnt played recently, but I think he has that ability to "crush" it. He made it look easy against New Orleans. We may have seen "missed oppertunities" we in and out with WRs streaking wide open. Im not complaining, I love Keenum at QB, I just wonder if its kinda funny at this point that Bradford might actually end up being what we thought Teddy could be for the offense. Bradford knows the system, he can read a defense well and make tight throws. His ceiling would be that New Orleans game; i guess I question how far of a reach that might not be.
Keenum has deserved every oppertunity to start, im not going there lol... The healthier Bradford actually is, the higher eyebrows are going to go. If there's a YouTube video of him jumping stacks or somethinf dumb, lol, that Saints game will be talked about even more.
If Keenum goes down in the middle of a playoff game or "needs to go" and Bradford is feeling like he did early in the year, how could we not put him in? No disrespect to Teddy at all. Id be excited if he got the nod. I respect what Bradford has done and really wonder what this offense would have looked like after that week 1 game.
@"purplefaithful" said: I dont think any of us could have imagined this thread title right after game 2...We would have been like "WTF, are you kidding?"
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