peterson/bridgewater era is over

[mosscarter]

it is time to either get on board with these new vikings, or hold on to the past. peterson will go down as one of the all time greatest running backs, who fumbled in crucial situations in the playoffs. and as far as the bridgewater sympathizers go, bradford looked better in one game than he did in 2 full seasons. teddy had a few games that were decent, but diggs was the same receiver talent wise last year as he is this year. what a world a real quarterback makes. he got smashed behind the same poor line, the same excuse people made for teddy, and produced at an extremely high level. the only question is can that same line keep bradford healthy for the entire year. i hope so, because i think mckinnon adds an extra dimension to the offense he can catch balls well out of the backfield.

[dead_poet]

I love how people compare seasoned vets to a guy entering his third year like they should be performing at the same level. It seriously drives me absolutely insane.

Teddy Bridgewater (first 28 games): 551/849; 64% Completion; 6,150 yards; 28 TDs; 21 INTs

Sam Bradford (first 28 games): 588/1,007; 58.4% Completion; 6,184 yards; 27 TDs; 23 INTs

Might as well say, "Geez, 2004 Peyton Manning looked better in one game than Teddy has in his first two full seasons!" Yes, that's being hyperbolic but people do understand that quarterbacks can develop, right? Like, they can get better over time. We saw that development in Teddy over the course of 2015 as well as this preseason. It's not out of the realm of possibility that Teddy maybe, just maybe, could've improved over last season and had a good season. You know, like dozens of quarterbacks have done from year 2 to year 3. Heck, Drew Brees's numbers over his first two seasons weren't spectacular either (60% completion; 5,392 yards; 29 TDs; 31 INTs). Guess what? Brees' numbers in year three took off. Obviously not all QBs do, but that's not what I'm saying. What I'm saying is why don't we want to give Teddy that opportunity? What makes him that much different after his second year than Brees after his?

[PurpleMustReign]

I love how people compare seasoned vets to a guy entering his third year like they should be performing at the same level. It seriously drives me absolutely insane.

Teddy Bridgewater (first 28 games): 551/849; 64% Completion; 6,150 yards; 28 TDs; 21 INTs

Sam Bradford (first 28 games): 588/1,007; 58.4% Completion; 6,184 yards; 27 TDs; 23 INTs

Might as well say, "Geez, 2004 Peyton Manning looked better in one game than Teddy has in his first two full seasons!" Yes, that's being hyperbolic but people do understand that quarterbacks can develop, right? Like, they can get better over time. We saw that development in Teddy over the course of 2015 as well as this preseason. It's not out of the realm of possibility that Teddy maybe, just maybe, could've improved over last season and had a good season. You know, like dozens of quarterbacks have done from year 2 to year 3. Heck, Drew Brees's numbers over his first two seasons weren't spectacular either (60% completion; 5,392 yards; 29 TDs; 31 INTs. Guess what? Brees' numbers in year three took off. Obviously not all QBs do, but that's not what I'm saying. What I'm saying is why don't we want to give Teddy that opportunity? What makes him that much different after his second year than Brees after his?

I agree. I do think Bradford has a higher ceiling based on what I have seen in his career vs. Teddy's, but it isn't fair to say that he is better overall than Teddy at this point. I also hate when people say that AD is great but he fumbles. Yes he does, but very few have ever meant to their teams that AD meant to his. If we could do the 2007 draft over again, I Would still take AD in a heartbeat, even if his fumble issue was the same.
This thread is silly and depressing, and unnecessary. We are 2-0, let's celebrate that a little more rather than saying that certain eras are over.

[RFIP]

I agree. I do think Bradford has a higher ceiling based on what I have seen in his career vs. Teddy's, but it isn't fair to say that he is better overall than Teddy at this point. I also hate when people say that AD is great but he fumbles. Yes he does, but very few have ever meant to their teams that AD meant to his. If we could do the 2007 draft over again, I Would still take AD in a heartbeat, even if his fumble issue was the same.
This thread is silly and depressing, and unnecessary. We are 2-0, let's celebrate that a little more rather than saying that certain eras are over.

Correct. And there are many ways to arrive at stats, first of all Sam's Rams (no pun) were so bad he was throwing it 40-50 times a game and always from behind. Teddy was born on to a team with a good, then GREAT defense with an immortal RB.

If Sam and Teddy came out the same year the difference in their draft spots would have been enormous. Honestly there is no comparison between the two except their ACL's.

The big question for Sam is health and with the OL I saw Sunday night I am more worried than ever but IF he stays healthy I believe the Vikings have their QB for a long, long time.

[720pete]

We only have one game under our belt so it's too early to assess Bradford, but I think there is a very good chance AP has played his last game in MN. Especially if the team decides to keep Bradford for next year, the salary cap situation would be very difficult to manage manage with both players. Stefon Diggs might also demand a new contract.

I don't think Kalil will be back after this season either. Teddy has one more discount rookie contract season left so I'd expect him to be on the roster next year but may not be the starter.

[dead_poet]

Correct. And there are many ways to arrive at stats, first of all Sam's Rams (no pun) were so bad he was throwing it 40-50 times a game and always from behind. Teddy was born on to a team with a good, then GREAT defense with an immortal RB.

I'm not entirely sure what point you are driving at here. Despite Bradford throwing the ball 158 more times than Teddy in his first 26 games, he completed only 37 more passes for 34 more yards, 1 less TD and two more interceptions.

If Sam and Teddy came out the same year the difference in their draft spots would have been enormous. Honestly there is no comparison between the two except their ACL's.

I'm not sure I agree with this. Bradford would've probably still gone top-10 and Teddy still end of R1. I don't consider that "enormous." And, frankly, I'm not convinced we wouldn't have gotten better value.

The big question for Sam is health and with the OL I saw Sunday night I am more worried than ever but IF he stays healthy I believe the Vikings have their QB for a long, long time.

I hope he stays healthy and continues to play well. Behind this line, both are difficult tasks.

[dead_poet]

We only have one game under our belt so it's too early to assess Bradford, but I think there is a very good chance AP has played his last game in MN. Especially if the team decides to keep Bradford for next year, the salary cap situation would be very difficult to manage manage with both players. Stefon Diggs might also demand a new contract.

Bradford will likely be here in 2017. No way Diggs gets a new contract in 2017. That's really not how the Vikings do things. They'll probably negotiate in 2018 before the season and get something done. I assume Kalil is as good as gone unless he accepts a team-friendly deal and/or he doesn't get many offers. AD...is quite the conundrum. I really don't want him to go out like this but I agree we may have seen the last of him in Purple. Man...that's hard to fathom.

[Nunin]

I think I'm ok if AD is through. That's a tough one.
I think Kalil's body is finished bearing all that weight. He's done IMO.
TB is really difficult to accept. I hope he can recover and get back on track. He is such a cool kid and has some great potential, but that is a seriously messed up injury he suffered. Easily the hardest of the 3 to see possibly end their career for me.

[J. Kapp 11]

Bradford will likely be here in 2017. No way Diggs gets a new contract in 2017. That's really not how the Vikings do things. They'll probably negotiate in 2018 before the season and get something done. I assume Kalil is as good as gone unless he accepts a team-friendly deal and/or he doesn't get many offers. AD...is quite the conundrum. I really don't want him to go out like this but I agree we may have seen the last of him in Purple. Man...that's hard to fathom.

I actually think AP could be back under a restructured deal. I would actually be shocked if he had many offers in free agency, and even more shocked if any actual offers were better than what the Vikings might offer in a restructure. He'll be 32 and coming off a second season-ending knee injury in five years. He's also little help in the passing game. I just don't see the suitors lining up. I could be wrong.

Only way Bradford is gone is if he has a huge season and his trade value is high. As much as I like Teddy, I can't see the Vikings jettisoning Bradford when they have no idea how Teddy will recover from this devastating knee injury.

You're absolutely correct about Diggs, and it's a shame. We could have an all-pro playing under a 5th-round rookie contract. Good for the Vikings' bottom line, but bad for a great kid who is as hard-working as he is talented.

They need to cut ties with Kalil. That dream is over.

[mansquatch]

if Bradford wins and delivers in the passing game there is no way they let him go. However, to Poet's point that means nothing for TB. Bradford is 28. You might get 4 or if you are lucky, 6 seasons out of him. Then what? TB is barely 23 and still has tremendous upside. The best outcome for the Vikings is that Bradford performs AND they find a way to keep both of them. Hoping for anything else is silly.

I think AP's days of huge contracts are over, but I also think there is a possibility that he has one more epic season in the tank. I thought it might have been this season, but that dream is dashed...

[slapnut19]

if bradford steps up and leads this team to the playoffs then they need to consider trading bridgewater while he is on his rookie deal. a team without a long term answer like cleveland or buffalo would probably love the idea of adding a young qb like teddy, assuming his long term health isn't a problem.

[Mothman]

if bradford steps up and leads this team to the playoffs then they need to consider trading bridgewater while he is on his rookie deal.

Could they really get much for him? Unless they pick up his 5th year option in May, his rookie deal only runs through next season.

[slapnut19]

Could they really get much for him? Unless they pick up his 5th year option in May, his rookie deal only runs through next season.

good question. the rams were able to get foles and a 2nd rd pick for bradford after his last knee injury. i would think a 3rd round pick and maybe a player(o lineman) would be a fair deal. still way too early to speculate though.

[IrishViking]

I don't think you owe it to bridgewater to trade him, If Bradford plays well this year and IF bridgewater recovers. He has to know he has to A)prove he can still play and B) out play Bradford. Hills out, Bridgewater is the back up. If he shines in preseason and relief THEN you trade him or Bradford for a pretty penny to a desperate team (If Teddy were to say, light it up in Pre season next year I could easily see us getting a 1st and 2nd from someone like Cleveland)

You don't trade Teddy right away, you let him drive his stock up, which is literally the only direction it can go since most people wouldn't be surprised if he never plays again.

-EDIT- and Teddy doesn't strike me as the sort of player that is going to demand a huge contract before he has a big year especially after an injury like this.

[Nunin]

I think TB would be crazy not to demand a big contract because of the injury. The question will be if he commands one assuming he heals.
It would be sweet if he recovers fully and they would be faced with the problem of what to do.
But if TB gets offered a lucrative contract to start elsewhere...and there could be lots of teams looking...i'd find it hard to believe he would accept backup money to be #2 for the Vikes.
If Bradford stays healthy and makes Turner's offense go, how do you trade him? I'd reckon he has a good 4 seasons left in him if he doesn't get killed.
It will be interesting and the whole scenario assumes a lot.