So Long, Sam - Bradford RELEASED from Arizona

Ahh, what a relaxing bye week the Minnesota Vikings enjoyed. It was smack dab in the middle of the season; getting eight games on either side of the bye is perfect in most cases. The team took two weeks to rest up and bask in the glow of their fourth straight win after their victorious trip to London. The Vikings enter their Week 10 game against the Washington Redskins with a two-game lead in the NFC North. All is calm as the Vikings make their steady march toward the 2017 playoffs. If they keep playing well, a postseason berth should be simple and straightforward.

Just kidding. This is the Vikings! Nothing is ever that easy!

As we all know, the triumphant return of Teddy Bridgewater is finally upon us. Four hundred and thirty-six days after a catastrophic knee injury threatened his football career and leg itself, Bridgewater was added back to the active roster on Wednesday. Joyous echoes have been heard trumpeting throughout Vikings Twitter for the past 24 hours. Our fallen hero has returned from dire straits against all odds. It’s the stuff from which tear-jerking documentaries and blockbuster biopics are made.

Of course, this being the Vikings, all the news couldn’t be good yesterday. Sam Bradford was put on Injured Reserve, which in all likelihood ends his season and his playing time in Minnesota. Before we delve into the upcoming conundrum of the two quarterbacks that will be dressed for the game on Sunday, let’s give what is probably a final round of recognition to Bradford’s brief accomplishments in Minnesota.

Yes, trading for Bradford was ultimately disappointing. The Vikings gave up too much to get him when you consider he only played 161⁄2 games for the team. Although hindsight will try to chip away at the logic of the trade, it’s still 100% defensible now.

The Vikings thought they had a legitimate chance to contend in 2016. The defense was stacked, Teddy was showing promise, and they still had Adrian Peterson at the tail end of his prime. Through the first five weeks, the move looked great. The defense was on fire, Bradford was playing some of the best football of his career, and the Vikings were winning.

Of course, we all know how the 2016 season ended—the injuries mounted, the offensive line imploded, the defense regressed a bit, and the wheels fell off. But just think of how awful 2016 would have been with Shaun Hill. Or whatever quarterback would have needed to replace Hill after he was inevitably hurt behind that absolute abomination of an offensive line. The Bradford-less 2016 scenario would have made the 2011 season feel like 1998.

One could certainly point to all the “what ifs” around the first rounder the Vikings gave up to get Bradford, which is fair. But that probably means a completely different draft and free agency strategy where the Vikings don’t pick up players like Pat Elflein, Dalvin Cook, Riley Reiff, and Mike Remmers among others. All those additions appear to be key parts of this team’s future. In my opinion, it’s much easier to appreciate what Bradford provided rather than mulling over what might have been without him.

If this is the end for Bradford in a Vikings uniform—and I believe it is—he parts with some pretty impressive numbers. The numbers are even better when you factor in what he had to work with during his time in Minnesota.

71.8 completion percentage
101.1 quarterback rating
59.0 QBR
250.5 yards per game
23 touchdowns, 5 interceptions
6.56 adjust net yards per attempt

So here’s to you, Sam Bradford. Your bank account will never yield any sympathy from fans, but we truly feel for you when it comes to your unfortunate injury history. The talent is there; hopefully the circumstances will finally come together on your next team.