Minnesota Vikings Options to Replace Injured Teddy Bridgewater
Minnesota will be looking to add depth at quarterback after Teddy Bridgewater reportedly went to the hospital with a left knee injury
Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater has caused quite a scare in Minnesota, as he reportedly went down with a non-contact left knee injury in practice. Reports are that the injury is believed to be serious, and that Bridgewater left the facility in an ambulance.
Bad scene. Bridgewater down in pocket grabbing left knee. Players freaked out, swearing and praying. Immobilized. Practice halted #Vikings
— Brian Murphy (@murphmedia_) August 30, 2016
Hope for the best for @teddyb_h2o. Paramedics at practice faculty is very rare. Never had need for one in my 2 decades in @NFL.
— David J. Chao - ProFootballDoc (@ProFootballDoc) August 30, 2016
Not a lot of injuries require an ambulance. Not even an ACL tear. Whatever it is, hope nerve and artery are spared. https://t.co/afw1BM3l5F
— David J. Chao - ProFootballDoc (@ProFootballDoc) August 30, 2016
Here are some of the names the Vikings will be looking at to replace Bridgewater should he be out for an extended period of time.
Options currently on the Minnesota Vikings roster
- Shaun Hill
- Joel Stave
- Taylor Heinicke (NFI)
Shaun Hill is the veteran option on the Vikings roster, but he is not the kind of quarterback you want to enter a season with as the starter. In his 10-year career, Hill has only started 34 games, and has thrown nearly as many interceptions. At 36-years-old, his body can not hold up for an entire season.
Joel Stave is an undrafted free agent out of Wisconsin, and was questionable to make the 53-man roster. He threw for under 2,700 yards in his senior season, while throwing 11 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
Options available in free agency
- Michael Vick
- Johnny Manziel
- Zach Mettenberger
- Austin Davis
- Matt Flynn
- Josh Freeman
- TJ Yates
The name that makes the most sense is Zach Mettenberger. Mike Vick all but acknowledged his pending retirement, and Johnny Manziel comes with too much baggage.
Freeman has played for the Vikings before, but that was under the previous regime of Leslie Frazier.
Mettenberger showed some promise during his brief stint with the Tennessee Titans, and Minnesota could be the perfect place for him to display his talents heading into 2017.
Options available in trade
- Mark Sanchez
- Geno Smith
- Bryce Petty
- Aaron Murray
- Colin Kaepernick
Mark Sanchez lost the Denver Broncos quarterback competition to Trevor Siemian, and was reportedly offered to the Dallas Cowboys after Tony Romo went down. He’s a veteran option who has won some games, and Adrian Peterson can protect him by taking more carries.
The Jets will most likely be looking to move a quarterback, either Geno Smith or Bryce Petty. Smith would most likely be the odd-man out, as the Jets already know what they have in him.
Aaron Murray of the Kansas City Chiefs is also reportedly on the trade block. While he doesn’t have experience, Andy Reid has mentored him a lot since drafting him out of Georgia.
Kaepernick is a big question mark. It’s not known if Chip Kelly is willing to move him, or if his off the field issues will push the Vikings away. He’d help them stay in the playoff hunt, but is not someone you trade for if you need a stopgap quarterback.
If I had to put money on this, I would think Mark Sanchez is the “best” option for the Vikings at this point. While Mettenberger would be easier to acquire as a free agent, Sanchez is more likely to keep the Vikings in a playoff hunt.