The Minnesota Vikings took the preseason loss to the New England Patriots by a score of 20-12 this past Saturday inside U.S. Bank Stadium. In the matchup, the Vikings also faced an old friend, center Garrett Bradbury, who was tasked with protecting Patriots' future star quarterback Drake Maye.
Bradbury spent the better portion of six seasons with the Vikings before being released in the offseason and being picked up by the Patriots. Bradbury was a first-round pick out of North Carolina State University in 2019, and the Vikings had big hopes for him. But the Vikings got more disappointment out of him than they got good offensive line play.
The Vikings have known from the jump that Bradbury has problems in pass protection against defensive tackles and edge rushers who are bigger and stronger than him. That was the case Saturday as he let Vikings rookie defensive lineman Tyrion-Ingram Dawkins make a fool of him trying to protect Maye. It seems like the Vikings made the right choice moving on.
Minnesota Vikings better off with Ryan Kelly at center instead of Garrett Bradbury
Before the Vikings released Bradbury in the offseason, the question was mulled over by the front office and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah: Do they draft a center or sign one in free agency? Well, they decided to sign former Indianapolis Colts center Ryan Kelly, and Bradbury was let go shortly after.
Kelly was a first-round pick out of the University of Alabama in 2016 and spent the better part of nine seasons with the Colts. But signing with the Vikings opens the door for an opportunity to make a Super Bowl run and help protect Minnesota quarterback J.J. McCarthy.
It had to have been hard for Kelly to leave Indianapolis after spending nine seasons there, but it seems to be a better fit with the Vikings. Kelly also has the benefit of having his former Colts teammate and guard Will Fries with him on the offensive line after Fries also signed with the Vikings in the offseason.
Kelly is on the older side, but that comes with a lot of experience, which should really help the Vikings solidify their offensive line in the upcoming season.