The ripples from the gruesome Teddy Bridgewater knee injury have finally made their way through the league. The Minnesota Vikings shocked the NFL world on Saturday — final cut day — by trading for Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Sam Bradford. The trade reunites Bradford with college teammate Adrian Peterson and shows just how small the organization views their championship window with Peterson. What did it cost to acquire the embattled quarterback? A small fortune in NFL currency: a first-round pick in 2017 and a fourth-round pick in 2018.
Final terms: A #Vikings 1st rounder n 2017 and a 4th rounder for #Eagles QB Sam Bradford.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 3, 2016
The #Eagles paid $11M to Sam Bradford in exchange for a 1st and a 4th. Vikings get Sam Bradford for $7M this year.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 3, 2016
The Eagles are now one step closer to handing their starting quarterback job to No.2 overall pick Carson Wentz, though Chase Daniels is expected to be the Week 1 starter with Bradford now gone. For the Vikings, the decision is curious to say the least, as Bradford has his own history of knee injuries, but he is locked into his contract for two more years, giving them some insurance for Bridgewater’s extended absence.
Minnesota opens the season in Tennessee against the Titans in just eight days, and although it’s unlikely Bradford starts that game, with the astronomical price tag they paid for him it’s assumed he’ll be at the top of their depth chart as soon as he’s ready to handle the offense. With the Vikes expected to lean heavily on the run and their stout defense, they could alleviate some of the flaws in Bradford’s game that have lead to sporadic play in his career.
