Vikings should be smart, keep Bradford on the bench Sunday
By Adam Patrick
The Minnesota Vikings should keep their starting quarterback on the bench in Week 17 in order to prevent another atrocity from happening in their tumultuous season.
When the Minnesota Vikings sent a 2017 first round draft pick to the Philadelphia Eagles for quarterback Sam Bradford back on September 3rd, no one actually knew if the acquisition would end up working out.
Sure it was a move that the Vikings felt they had to make, but was it the right move? That is a question that may need to wait another season to be answered given all that has happened to the franchise within the past year.
But speaking of everything that has gone on in Minnesota this season, Sunday’s game against the Chicago Bears would be a great opportunity for the team to prevent yet another blow to the hopes they have for their future.
With no playoff berth now on the line and no first round draft position to worry about, there is no logical reason for the Vikings to put Bradford out on the field in Week 17. Especially given the quarterback’s injury history and how awful Minnesota’s offensive line has played this year.
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Unfortunately, the status of fellow Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater for the 2017 season is still uncertain. So there is a very legitimate chance that Bradford will at least begin next year as Minnesota’s starting quarterback.
It may cost a little more than the team may want to pay to keep Bradford around for next season, but it is something that needs to be done. Just as keeping him on the bench on Sunday needs to be done.
Based on the type of luck the Vikings have already had this year, how many people would be shocked to see Bradford go down with a freak injury against the Bears?
No one.
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That is just the way everything has seemed to go for Minnesota this season. But the Vikings have the opportunity to get ahead of a potentially serious problem this weekend and they very, very badly need to take advantage of it.