Should Teddy Bridgewater play for the Vikings during the 2017 season?

The quarterback is still recovering from a severe knee injury, but he could be ready to play for the Minnesota Vikings midway through the upcoming season.

With every new video that is posted online by the Minnesota Vikings’ team website of Teddy Bridgewater practicing with at OTAs and progressing through is injury rehab, the optimism surrounding the quarterback’s return to the football field continues to rise.

While it is incredibly exciting to see Bridgewater back practicing with his Vikings teammates, the quarterback still has a long way to go before Minnesota can feel comfortable enough to put him back under center during an actual game. But when will that time come?

Well it is hard to put a truly legitimate timetable on that since Bridgewater’s knee injury is not one that commonly occurs with quarterbacks. Actually, one of his injuries (knee dislocation) is more likely to happen to a person who is obese or involved in a severe car accident according to Mayo Clinic orthopedic surgeon Dr. Bruce Levy.

"“It’s extremely rare in somebody who is not morbidly obese. But if it did occur in a high-level athlete, it would have to happen at just the right moment when the knee is in a compromised position and there is just enough force and weight.”"

So basically, every star in the sky had to align in order for Bridgewater to suffer this rare injury and unfortunately for him, they did.

Bridgewater will continue with his rehab this offseason and likely will not be a part of the Vikings’ active roster until after the sixth week of the season so that his current contract can toll through 2018. But even if he is healthy enough to play come Week 7 this year, should Minnesota activate him?

Minnesota Vikings

Of course it would depend on what the Vikings’ quarterback situation is at six games through the season. If all of their active quarterbacks are healthy and playing well, there is really no reason to add Bridgewater to the roster.

At this point, his contract would have already tolled and it may be best for him to just begin preparation for the 2018 season. There is no reason to rush him back onto the roster and create an unnecessary quarterback controversy.

As much as another entire season with Sam Bradford under center for Minnesota is painful for some to imagine, he is fully capable of helping the Vikings get back to the playoffs.

But what if every quarterback on Minnesota’s active roster is injured and all they have left is a former triple-option quarterback in Jerick McKinnon to play under center? Despite that awful scenario that was just regretfully created, the Vikings should still consider keeping Bridgewater inactive if this ends up happening.

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Right now, the risk is just too high to put Bridgewater back on the field if his health is less than 100 percent. Patience can be painful at times, but in this case it seems like the necessary decision to be made.