HEADLINES

Teddy Bridgewater

Vikes Notes: AP, QBs, Kalil, Floyd, Greenway

February 23rd, 2017 at 6:22pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Vikings running back Adrian Peterson has a $6MM roster bonus due March 11, two days after the market opens, but general manager Rick Spielman told reporters Thursday that the rusher’s future “will get addressed here before free agency starts” (via Andrew Krammer of the Star Tribune). Spielman hasn’t yet spoken to Peterson or his representative, but it’s fair to suggest that the Vikings likely won’t exercise the seven-time Pro Bowler’s option. Even if they don’t, though, Spielman indicated he’s amenable to bringing back the soon-to-be 32-year-old Peterson at a lesser cost in 2017. “If we don’t exercise that option, we always will keep the door open on all of our players,” Spielman said.

Regardless of whether Peterson returns next season as Minnesota’s No. 1 back, it has “got to run the football better,” head coach Mike Zimmer told Lindsey Young of the team’s website. The Vikings finished dead last in rushing (1,205) and yards per carry (3.2) last season, and barely having Peterson available didn’t help. While Peterson posted a microscopic 1.9 YPC, he did it over just 37 carries, having missed most of the year because of a torn meniscus.

More from Spielman:

  • Sam Bradford will start under center next season for the Vikings, but the quarterback position is “in flux” beyond that, according to Spielman. The Vikings have another starting-caliber signal-caller, Teddy Bridgewater, though he missed the 2016 campaign and might not play next season on account of the devastating knee injury he suffered last August. Spielman responded to that by trading the club’s first-round pick in this year’s draft (and a fourth in 2018) to the Eagles for Bradford, and the executive maintains that he “would do that over in a millisecond to get Sam Bradford on our football team with the circumstances we were dealing with.” Bradford is “just right now in the prime of his career,” Spielman opined, and is due to hit free agency next winter. Although the Vikings only went 7-8 with Bradford (8-8 overall), the 29-year-old fared respectably atop an ultra-conversative passing offense, having set the single-season completion percentage record (71.6) and posted 20 touchdowns against five interceptions.
  • Like Bradford, Bridgewater could also become a free agent next offseason if the Vikings don’t control him via his fifth-year option, which they’ll have to exercise or decline by May. In updating Bridgewater’s recovery, Spielman said: “He’s in the process of working through his motion. I know he’s doing specific things in rehab to get him back to being functional. When he’s going to be ready for football, dropping back and things like that — I think that’s still to be determined.”
  • Elsewhere on offense, the Vikings could lose longtime No. 1 left tackle Matt Kalil to free agency. Spielman, though, seemed to imply interest in re-signing the 27-year-old. “We have a plan in place on everything,” he stated. “But I also know I have a pretty good history of trying to keep our own guys as well.” Kalil missed all but two games last year because of a hip injury, and he hasn’t lived up to expectations since going fourth overall in the 2012 draft. However, he racked up 16 starts in each of his four seasons prior to 2016 and now stands as one of the most accomplished pending free agent tackles in a weak class.
  • Defensively, Spielman noted that tackle Sharrif Floyd, a potential cap casualty, is “under contract.” Like Peterson and Kalil, Floyd barely took the field last season (one appearance). But “he’s a pretty good player” when healthy, offered Spielman, who added that the team’s defense missed Floyd last season. Floyd sounds safe based on those comments, then, but Spielman could cut him by March 9 and get out of the 25-year-old’s entire $6.75MM-plus cap hit for 2017. As with Floyd, linebacker Chad Greenway‘s fate for next season will become known by the first day of the league year. Greenway, 34, will decide by then whether to retire. The pending free agent revealed last month that he’d only continue his career as a Viking, with whom he has spent all 10 of his seasons.

Teddy Bridgewater Likely Out For 2017?

January 27th, 2017 at 5:12pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The catastrophic knee injury that caused Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater to sit out the entire 2016 season is also likely to cost him the 2017 campaign, a team source told Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). Doctors have informed the Vikings that the best-case scenario for Bridgwater would be a 19-month recovery. His injury occurred last August, which means he’s unlikely to return to full strength until March 2018 at the earliest.

On the other hand, Bridgewater’s agent Kennard McGuire has strongly disputed Cole’s report, telling Ben Goessling of ESPN.com: “I would not overreact to a story that has zero substance and no credibility.” The Vikings have maintained there is no current update on Bridgewater’s status, while sources tell Andrew Krammer of the Minneapolis Star Tribune Bridgewater still has no “set timeline” for return.

Teddy Bridgewater

As of October, Bridgewater’s career was reportedly in jeopardy on account of the complete ACL tear and dislocated kneecap he suffered in practice. More recently, Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer expressed uncertainty earlier this month as to when Bridgewater might return. That came after Zimmer declared that Sam Bradford would be the Vikings’ starting quarterback to at least begin next season.

The Vikings’ decision to send their 2017 first-round pick and 2018 fourth-round selection to the Eagles for Bradford last September came in response to Bridgewater’s injury. Minnesota was the reigning NFC North champion at the time and hoping to keep its playoff chances alive, though it ultimately wasn’t able to replicate its 2015 success this season. That wasn’t necessarily the fault of Bradford, who set an NFL record for single-season completion percentage (71.6) and tossed 20 touchdowns against five interceptions as part of a conservative passing attack. Despite Bradford’s career-best statistical season, not to mention a 5-0 start, the Vikings stumbled to an 8-8 record and a third-place finish in their division.

Both Bridgewater and Bradford are set to enter contract years, though the former is controllable through 2018 by way of a fifth-year option. The Vikings are likely to exercise the option because it would give them another year to evaluate Bridgewater’s recovery, per Ben Goessling of ESPN.com. The 24-year-old Bridgewater, whom the Vikings chose 32nd in the 2014 draft, combined for a 64.9 percent completion rate and 28 scores against 21 picks in his first two seasons. Minnesota has posted an impressive 17-11 record in his 28 career starts.

Mike Zimmer Does Not Know When Bridgewater Will Return

January 15th, 2017 at 11:30am CST by Rory Parks

We already knew that the Vikings will open up the 2017 season with Sam Bradford under center, but given the success that he has experienced in his young career, there is no reason to believe that Teddy Bridgewater would not get the opportunity to win his job back when he returns from his ACL injury.

Teddy Bridgewater (vertical)

The problem is, no one knows when that will be. Head coach Mike Zimmer, who made a guest appearance on ESPN this morning, said during his interview with ESPN’s Hannah Storm, “We don’t know when Teddy will be back” (link via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk).

Bridgewater’s injury, of course, was especially gruesome, leading some to question whether he would ever be able to return to the field. Back in October, one doctor who has worked with NFL teams said, “This is a bad injury, about the worst knee injury a player can have.”

Both Bradford and Bridgewater are under contract through 2017, and although Bradford will account for a sizable $17MM against the salary cap next year, Bridgewater is still on his rookie deal and will count just $2.18MM against the cap. Bradford played reasonably well this year, his first in Minnesota, and it is possible that, if the Vikings shore up their running game and offensive line, they could return to the playoffs with Bradford at the helm.

But Bridgewater, despite his struggles in the deep passing game, has demonstrated that he could be the team’s long-term solution under center if he can get healthy. Zimmer’s somewhat ominous statement, though, has cast some doubt on that proposition.

Extra Points: Revis, Jets, Bills, Vikes, Panthers

December 30th, 2016 at 9:02pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Cornerback Darrelle Revis wants to retire a Jet, he told Brian Costello of the New York Post, but it’s possible the team will release the declining defender in the offseason. Regarding that notion, the 10th-year man offered, “My thing would be this: Do the New York Jets want to treat my situation with class or no class? With me being one of the best players in the history of this franchise, do they want me to retire here or not retire here?”

Revis sees himself as “one of the best cornerbacks to ever play this game,” but he realizes he’s “losing a step.” Thus, the soon-to-be 32-year-old is seemingly open to taking a pay cut to remain with the Jets. “You have to understand what the next step is, what the next chapter is for you, and I understand that,” he said. “You feel where you’re at in your career, you talk to the guys upstairs and see what’s going to best help me and best help the team moving forward.”

Revis is set to rake in a $13MM salary and count upward of $15.333MM against the cap next season, and the Jets surely view those as unpalatable figures. If the two sides do renegotiate Revis’ contract prior to next season, he’ll represent himself.

More from around the NFL:

  • Even if Teddy Bridgewater recovers from his disastrous knee injury by next season, the Vikings will begin 2017 with Sam Bradford as their starting quarterback, report Chris Mortensen and Adam Schefter of ESPN. Not only has Bradford fared well this year, but he’ll account for a $17MM cap hit against Bridgewater’s relatively meager $2.18MM charge next season. Both signal-callers are scheduled to become free agents in March 2018.
  • Bills wide receiver Sammy Watkins opined Thursday that the team needs to “change the culture” in the wake of Rex Ryan‘s firing. Another high-profile Bill, running back LeSean McCoy, shared a similar sentiment Friday. “I think the discipline has been an issue,” McCoy told reporters, including Mike Rodak of ESPN.com. “Players just [need to take] accountability for their own actions. … I just think as players, as professionals, we need to step up and play accountable. That’s the biggest issue.” McCoy added that “the coaches have to be hard on us” and “yell at us,” and revealed that players often had difficulty understanding their on-field assignments under Ryan. Similarly, defensive tackle Marcell Dareus said Tuesday that Ryan’s scheme may have been too complicated. It’s worth noting, of course, that Watkins, McCoy and Dareus are likely the Bills’ three best players.
  • Panthers offensive lineman Trai Turner expressed confidence Thursday that left tackle Michael Oher would return next season. That will indeed be the case, per ESPN’s David Newton, who writes that Oher is out of the concussion protocol and preparing for the 2017 campaign. The 30-year-old missed all but three games this season as a result of the concussion he suffered in Week 2.
  • To recap a day filled with pass rusher-related news, the Seahawks extended Michael Bennett; the Colts’ Robert Mathis, who’s 18th on the all-time sack list, is retiring after Sunday; and the NFL won’t reinstate suspended Raider Aldon Smith this season.

Miller’s Latest: Walker, Watson, Trubisky, Kizer

November 18th, 2016 at 8:35pm CST by Dallas Robinson

When reports surfaced earlier this week that defensive tackle Charles Walker would leave Oklahoma immediately in order to prepare for the 2017 draft, Matt Miller of Bleacher Report predicted that the move wouldn’t be well-received by NFL front offices, which already had reason to doubt Walker’s work ethic. In the days since, Miller has spoken with scouts and coaches around the league, and opinions have certainly not changed.

“We’ll put up with a lot of s–t, but not quitters,” one NFL man told Miller. “Talk to anyone [at OU] and they’ll tell you he’s not even hurt,” said another. “He doesn’t want to get hit anymore.” While Miller cautioned that some NFL staffers might have different views, every observer he talked to shared the same outlook. However, Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com recently reported that other scouts/coaches might believe that Walker chose the correct path, especially given that he recently suffered the third concussion of his collegiate career.

Let’s take a look at the other highlights from Miller’s notebook, which — as always — is well worth a full read:

  • A “longtime NFL GM” reached out to Miller to discuss the 2017 quarterback class, and the former executive offered some interesting observations on the top signal-callers. Clemson’s Deshaun Watson‘s size worries the ex-GM, who compared him to Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. The exec also put forth concerns about UNC’s Mitch Trubisky, but was more complementary of Notre Dame’s DeShone Kizer, predicting he “could be the one we all fall in love with between now and April.” Meanwhile, the former GM called Miami’s Brad Kaaya — whom the Bears are already researching — the “smartest of the crop.”
  • Miller posed several questions to an AFC scout, whose most insightful responses were on the topic of domestic violence. Some scouts — such as the one in question — have a hardline stance toward DV, but the staffer admitted that the risk versus reward debate takes place higher up the organizational hierarchy. A team’s owner, general manager, or head coach may be more willing to accept a player with domestic violence background if he is extremely talented, meaning such a decision is more likely to be made on a first-round prospect.
  • Alabama’s defense figures to boast several first-round draft picks, but at least one NFL scout isn’t a fan of cornerback Marlon Humphrey, per Miller. “I think he’s overrated,” said the evaluator. “You guys don’t see how stiff he is or that he can’t turn and run.”

Teddy Bridgewater’s Career In Jeopardy?

October 27th, 2016 at 8:25am CST by Zachary Links

Some people around the NFL believe that Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater‘s career could be in jeopardy following his gruesome knee injury this summer, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Schefter has heard from multiple medical officials, both in the NFL and not in the NFL, who are questioning whether he’ll be able to take the field again.

“If he didn’t make it back, it wouldn’t surprise me,” one doctor who has worked with NFL teams said. “This is a bad injury, about the worst knee injury a player can have.”

Schefter notes that Bridgewater is making progress in his recovery, and Vikings officials are pleased with what they’ve seen from his early stages of rehab. Still, the Vikings paid a small fortune to acquire Sam Bradford after Bridgewater went down and it’s believed that they made the trade with the 2017 season in mind. Given the complex nature of Bridgewater’s injury – he suffered a torn ACL and dislocated his knee – there are no guarantees when it comes to his timetable.

Latest On Vikings’ QB Situation

September 1st, 2016 at 8:39pm CST by Sam Robinson

Rick Spielman on Thursday night expressed confidence Shaun Hill can take the Vikings back to the playoffs. As a result, the team will not make a trade that includes a promising young talent or a high draft pick, Ben Goessling of ESPN.com reports.

The fifth-year GM revealed the Vikings are “considering all their options” as they attempt to move forward without Teddy Bridgewater this season. But other teams are demanding a high return from the Vikings in exchange for quarterback help.

“People are asking for some crazy things,” Spielman said. “People think you’re desperate. I’m not doing anything that jeopardizes the franchise.”

Nevertheless, Spielman hopes to land a quarterback in the next two days. Teams must cut their rosters down to 53 by Saturday afternoon. There will be outside help available, although none that would qualify as a surefire starter over Hill since the pickup would be joining a new team on the heels of being waived or released less than a week before the season.

We heard last night the price for some teams whose backups have been the subject of trade rumors — Josh McCown, A.J. McCarron and Mike Glennon are among three who fit this category — is thought to be a Day 2 draft choice at the least, with the possibility of a first-round pick being sought.

Bridgewater, who suffered a torn ACL and dislocated knee in a gruesome injury on Tuesday, will decide on a surgeon within the next few days, per Goessling.

Once a UDFA who began his career with the 2005 Vikings behind Daunte Culpepper and Brad Johnson, the 36-year-old Hill has played for four teams. He’s started at least eight games in three different seasons but only sported an over-.500 record in one of those campaigns — with the 2008 49ers. With the Rams in 2014, he went 3-5 but completed more than 63% of his passes, throwing eight touchdown passes and seven interceptions.

The Vikings, though, look to sport better talent than the previous teams that gave Hill the starting reins. Hill, who threw a career-high 16 TD passes in 10 starts for the Lions in 2010, resided as Bridgewater’s backup in 2015 as well. He threw seven passes last season.

 

Teddy Bridgewater Suffers Torn ACL

August 31st, 2016 at 4:21pm CST by Dallas Robinson

WEDNESDAY, 4:21pm: Minnesota placed Bridgewater on season-ending IR.

TUESDAY, 7:20pm: Vikings head trainer Eric Sugarman has released a statement indicating that quarterback Teddy Bridgewater has suffered a torn ACL. Although the statement did not confirm a timetable, Bridgewater is still expected to miss the 2016 season.Teddy Bridgewater (vertical)

“Teddy Bridgewater suffered a non-contact injury today at practice,” said Sugarman. “The injury was quickly identified as a dislocated knee. The injury was stabilized, and he was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment and evaluation. After undergoing an MRI, it was determined that Teddy suffered a complete tear to his ACL and other structural damage.

Fortunately, there appears to be no nerve or arterial damage. Surgical repair will be scheduled within the next few days. Although the recovery time will be significant, we expect Teddy to make a full recovery. I would like to thank all of the medical professionals and our athletic training staff for all of their help today. Teddy has already displayed the attitude needed to overcome this injury and attack his rehab.”

As it currently stands, the Vikings have veteran Shaun Hill on the depth chart. Hill offers experience, but he is an uninspiring starting option for a team with playoff aspirations. He also has never started more than 10 games in any given season. Other than Hill, the Vikings have Wisconsin product Joel Stave on the depth chart. Fellow signal-callerTaylor Heinicke has been placed on the NFI list with an injury.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Teddy Bridgewater Likely Done For Season

August 30th, 2016 at 4:14pm CST by Zachary Links

Awful news for the Vikings as coach Mike Zimmer tells reporters that quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is likely done for the season. Bridgewater is still going through testing, but the early results do not look good, per the head coach. Teddy Bridgewater (vertical)

Zimmer confirmed that Bridgewater’s knee injury was of the non-contact variety, which usually signifies ligament damage. We should have official word on Bridgewater’s exact injury and his approximate timetable soon. In any case, it’s doubtful that he will take the field in 2016.

As it currently stands, the Vikings have veteran Shaun Hill on the depth chart. Hill offers experience, but he is an uninspiring starting option for a team with playoff aspirations. He also has never started more than 10 games in any given season. Other than Hill, the Vikings have Wisconsin product Joel Stave on the depth chart. Taylor Heinicke has been placed on the NFI list with an injury.

In his sophomore season, Bridgewater earned a Pro Bowl nod as he completed 65.3% of his passes with 14 touchdowns and 9 interceptions.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Teddy Bridgewater Leaves Practice With Injury

August 30th, 2016 at 2:05pm CST by Zachary Links

Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater has suffered an apparent knee injury, prompting the Vikings to end practice early, as Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press tweets. Exact details of the injury remain murky, but it was serious enough to prompt players to form a prayer circle around the QB (link). Teddy Bridgewater

Bridgewater’s injury appeared to be of the non-contact variety (via Brian Murphy of the Pioneer Press on Twitter), which could spell serious leg trouble. Players around Bridgewater “freaked out” upon seeing what happened, Murphy says. Bridgewater left the field via ambulance (link).

Behind Bridgewater, the Vikings have quarterbacks Shaun Hill and Wisconsin product Joel Stave. Taylor Heinicke will be placed on the NFI list with an injury.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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