5 most disappointing Vikings through the first quarter of the 2021 season

Garrett Bradbury – C

There was some hope that Vikings center Garrett Bradbury would turn things around in his third season. The former No. 18 overall draft pick has been a mixed bag in his NFL career so far. He hasn’t been horrible, but he hasn’t been very good.

Bradbury’s biggest issue is that he can’t anchor against powerful nose tackles. He gets overpowered, outmatched, and he is often pushed into Kirk Cousins’ lap. This hasn’t changed in 2021, despite Bradbury trying to get stronger in the offseason.

The guy is pretty solid leading to the outside or getting to the second level on screens and runs to make key blocks down the field. He just lacks the overall power to truly hold his own and keep the interior of the offensive line from collapsing.

It has gotten to the point where many fans believe it is time for Minnesota to make a change. The obvious move would be to go with Mason Cole, who the team traded a sixth-round pick for last spring. They could also try rookie Wyatt Davis, who definitely would be strong enough, though it would require him to learn a new position.

Knowing how stubborn Mike Zimmer is with personnel changes, Bradbury will likely have to get hurt to lose his job. So Vikings fans should expect to continue to be disappointed with this player who hasn’t come close to living up to his high draft status.