5 Vikings players who shouldn’t be back for the 2023 season

Garrett Bradbury – C

Garrett Bradbury is one of six centers to be selected in the first round of the NFL Draft since 2014. Of these six centers, zero have earned a First-Team All-Pro selection in their pro careers, and four of the six have never been voted to the Pro Bowl.

Bradbury, of course, is among the group that has never made a Pro Bowl roster or an All-Pro First-Team. Expectations are always high for players drafted in the first round, and when it has come to centers taken in the opening round since 2014, most of them have failed to live up to their lofty expectations.

Bradbury is a free agent this year, and after having arguably the best season of his career in 2022 under first-year Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell, some believe the team might attempt to re-sign him this offseason.

That would be a mistake.

As much as Bradbury “improved” during the 2022 season, he was still one of the least impressive centers in the NFL, especially when it came to pass blocking.

PFF gave Bradbury the 11th-best overall offensive grade in 2022 out of 36 qualifying centers, but his pass-blocking grade ranked 27th among centers, and he finished 35th among centers in pass-blocking efficiency.

Whether Minnesota uses a mid-round draft pick or adds a veteran in free agency, almost anything would be better than bringing Bradbury back to be their starting center again in 2023.