6 first-round mistakes that continue to haunt the Vikings
By Luke Parrish
First-Round Mistake No. 2
The Vikings panicked for Sam Bradford
Following Teddy Bridgewater's knee injury in 2016, the Vikings panicked and sent their 2017 first-round pick to the Eagles for Sam Bradford. Bradford was never a superstar quarterback in the NFL and was being heralded as the savior of Minnesota's season after joining the team right before the regular season started.
Prior to the trade, Bradford was 25-37-1 as a starter in the NFL, and despite playing most of the first season with the Vikings, he went just 7-8 with his best statistical season of his career. The next year, Bradford played in just two games for the Vikings while Case Keenum led them to the NFC Championship, where they lost to the Eagles.
The team that traded Bradford wound up beating Minnesota for a trip to the Super Bowl with a backup quarterback. If the Vikings had not given up their 2017 first-round pick, they would have had their choice of several key defenders.
T.J. Watt, Jonathan Allen, and Tre'Davious White were all available with the 14th overall pick - the Eagles selected Derek Barnett at that spot. The back end of that draft was loaded with talent on the defensive side of the ball, and the Vikings could have built something special.