Headed toward disaster?

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RFIP
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Headed toward disaster?

Post by RFIP »

Yesterday Ziggy says how much "we like our QB, Sam Bradford.." and today Zimmer talks endlessly about wanting Teddy back.

It seems to me they are trying to play both ends against the middle and Teddy's video yesterday didn't help matters either right after Zimmer said he wasn't throwing yet.

I have several thoughts on where this is headed but I'll keep most to myself right now and see what you all think but if TB is their guy they better pray he comes back healthy and ready to go because NOW after this little game of musical chairs and with what Sam just went through with the lies in Philly if Teddy can't come back and Sam plays as well or better than last year (which he will) they are going to have to tag him I bet because he's not hanging around to get hung out to dry again.
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Re: Headed toward disaster?

Post by Dakotavike »

Interesting take. I don't really see it that way. To me they're being fairly transparent and not so much playing games but calling it like they see it. They're happy they have Bradford, they're not really sure where TB is at but when he's ready they don't want to lose him. Yes, assuming TB comes back healthy and assuming Bradford plays well a big decision will have to be made down the road. But we're not there yet and they know it. I think it's just the media trying to stir things up during the slow news days prior to the draft. The bigger problem/potential disaster I see is still at the backup QB spot. What's their plan? Heincke? Draft? I thought Foles may have been a nice option but now that's off the table. We really haven't heard squat. I find it a bit concerning considering TB's status and lack of true backup.
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Re: Headed toward disaster?

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RFIP wrote:Yesterday Ziggy says how much "we like our QB, Sam Bradford.." and today Zimmer talks endlessly about wanting Teddy back.

It seems to me they are trying to play both ends against the middle and Teddy's video yesterday didn't help matters either right after Zimmer said he wasn't throwing yet.
Playing both ends against the middle is a good way to put it. After checking out some of Zimmer's comments, I can see why you're concerned.
Dakotavike wrote:Interesting take. I don't really see it that way. To me they're being fairly transparent and not so much playing games but calling it like they see it. They're happy they have Bradford, they're not really sure where TB is at but when he's ready they don't want to lose him. Yes, assuming TB comes back healthy and assuming Bradford plays well a big decision will have to be made down the road. But we're not there yet and they know it. I think it's just the media trying to stir things up during the slow news days prior to the draft. The bigger problem/potential disaster I see is still at the backup QB spot. What's their plan? Heincke? Draft? I thought Foles may have been a nice option but now that's off the table. We really haven't heard squat. I find it a bit concerning considering TB's status and lack of true backup.
Here's Mike Zimmer's take, courtesy of PP writer Chris Tomasson:
@christomasson
Mike Zimmer on plan at QB other than Sam Bradford: "There is really no other plan until (Teddy Bridgewater) gets healthy.''
That's encouraging. :(
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Re: Headed toward disaster?

Post by PurpleMustReign »

Jesus Christ. Is it really that hard for Zimmer to see that Bradford is way better than Teddy probably ever will be?
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Re: Headed toward disaster?

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Mothman wrote: Playing both ends against the middle is a good way to put it. After checking out some of Zimmer's comments, I can see why you're concerned.
Here's Mike Zimmer's take, courtesy of PP writer Chris Tomasson:
That's encouraging. :(
NFLN just ran a piece (wish I could have linked it but too difficult for me) where they were talking to a guy who covers the Vikings and he said; "The Vikings are very unsure if Bridgewater will ever play again, he can walk now but is nowhere near able to play football or take a hit on that knee. Also, it is highly debatable that a fully healthy and never injured Bridgewater could beat out Sam Bradford so it appears by all indications this is now Bradford's team and will be in the future.."

What everyone skirts around is the May 5th date by which time the Vikings must decide if they are going to pick up Teddy's 5th year option.
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Re: Headed toward disaster?

Post by S197 »

Mothman wrote:
Here's Mike Zimmer's take, courtesy of PP writer Chris Tomasson:
That's encouraging. :(
I don't really see the issue here, am I missing something? They have a named starter and two 1st round QBs. What would have been an encouraging response? No coach is going to talk about someone who isn't on the roster. On the roster it's Bradford, Teddy, and Heinecke. I don't see what else he would be saying at this juncture other than the obvious.
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Re: Headed toward disaster?

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S197 wrote: I don't really see the issue here, am I missing something? They have a named starter and two 1st round QBs. What would have been an encouraging response? No coach is going to talk about someone who isn't on the roster. On the roster it's Bradford, Teddy, and Heinecke. I don't see what else he would be saying at this juncture other than the obvious.
The obvious is that Bridgewater is extremely unlikely to be able to serve as a reliable backup this season so an encouraging response would have been something more like "We're looking at our options" or at least "We have confidence in Taylor Heinicke" (although frankly, I wouldn't find that response terribly encouraging either). "We have no plan" is rarely encouraging. :)
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Re: Headed toward disaster?

Post by RFIP »

PurpleMustReign wrote:Jesus Christ. Is it really that hard for Zimmer to see that Bradford is way better than Teddy probably ever will be?
There's a bigger issue here, Zim drafted Teddy, where as Sam was forced upon him albeit out of necessity.

Coaches who draft "their" franchise QB rarely give up on said player.
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Re: Headed toward disaster?

Post by Demarates »

PurpleMustReign wrote:Jesus Christ. Is it really that hard for Zimmer to see that Bradford is way better than Teddy probably ever will be?
Yeah, I don't see TB getting truly healthy again. And I wasn't 100% happy with him to begin with.
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Re: Headed toward disaster?

Post by CbusVikesFan »

As I see it the Vikings need to make sure they do whatever it takes to keep Sammy Boy. Point blank. He's the best option the Vikings have had long term in like FOREVER! :v):
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Re: Headed toward disaster?

Post by Mothman »

This article provides some context to this discussion and contains some of the quotes from Zimmer RFIP was referring to in the OP:

When Teddy Bridgewater returns, Vikings could face QB conundrum
There’s no quarterback controversy in Minnesota. At least not as long as there apparently remains no hint of a timetable for Teddy Bridgewater’s return from last August’s devastating knee injury.

“I honestly have no idea when he’ll be back,” Vikings coach Mike Zimmer pleaded a handful of times as reporters pressed him for an hour during Wednesday’s NFC coaches breakfast at the annual league meetings. “I saw Teddy in the training room a week or so ago. He’s in great spirits, working hard, doing everything [he can]. There’s no timetable. I keep getting these questions, but when he’s ready, he’s ready.”
Then what?
“The biggest thing is just trying to get [Bridgewater] healthy and go from there,” Zimmer said. “I want Teddy. I don’t want him going somewhere else.”
“There really is no other plan [for the future at quarterback] until Teddy gets healthy,” Zimmer said. “When he gets healthy, we’ll worry about it. We don’t know when it’s going to be. If he comes in tomorrow and is 100 percent, which he won’t, but if he did, then we’d have to adjust things. But right now we don’t know when he’s going to be ready.”

With Bridgewater’s steady but slow road back, Zimmer indicated the Vikings will be acquiring a veteran quarterback soon.
That's interesting and a good example of how a tweet like the one I posted from Chris Tomasson yesterday can be misleading in it's brevity.
When asked if he’d be comfortable with unproven Taylor Heinicke as Bradford’s primary backup, Zimmer said, “Well, I think we’re going to get some things done there.”

He repeated that when asked if it would be a veteran quarterback. Asked to put a percentage on the likelihood of another quarterback being signed, Zimmer said, “I’m probably 100 percent sure on that one.”
By the way, the aforementioned Chris Tomasson has written an article about this for the PP too:

http://www.twincities.com/2017/03/29/mi ... h-vikings/
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Re: Headed toward disaster?

Post by Cliff »

Mothman wrote: Here's Mike Zimmer's take, courtesy of PP writer Chris Tomasson:
That's encouraging. :(
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Re: Headed toward disaster?

Post by autobon7 »

Demarates wrote: Yeah, I don't see TB getting truly healthy again. And I wasn't 100% happy with him to begin with.
Agree agree.....Sam is head and shoulders better than TB has been to date. Factor in a career threatening injury and I really don't see where the debate is here.
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Re: Headed toward disaster?

Post by chicagopurple »

Teddy was nothing but a potential maybe who showed he could scramble and throw the ball away under pressure but never showed a real downfield game. Now, after blowing up his knees without even being hit, he is likely to be LESS mobile and more gun-shy. There is NO reason to believe he is very likely to be better the Bradford. I hope that the managements talking up Teddy doesnt really represent the Vikes long term plan but , rather, is polite respect for the kid.
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Re: Headed toward disaster?

Post by Dakotavike »

autobon7 wrote: Agree agree.....Sam is head and shoulders better than TB has been to date. Factor in a career threatening injury and I really don't see where the debate is here.
Just my two cents but I think maybe some of you guys are missing the original point. I don't see this as a Sam vs. Teddy debate. That's an issue for when/if Teddy ever recovers. To me this is a 'What are we going to do this year for a backup?' issue. We can't rely on Teddy. I don't think Heinecke is the answer (but I could be wrong). And I just haven't heard any specific vets that they've even been looking at. Maybe they're thinking draft. But from what's supposed to be a weak QB class and where we're drafting I'm just not sure how well that would work either. Hence the concern for this year's backup.
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