A little while back we ran an item showing that Sam Bradford was a little better last year than you might have thought. It's a good thing for the Vikings, since a recent story made it clear that Bradford almost certainly will open next season as the starter. Teddy Bridgewater isn't going to be healthy.
One report, in fact, had Bridgewater missing the entire 2017 season with his ACL and knee dislocation injury. The Star-Tribune has sources with the Vikings that dispute that gloomy outlook, but the team has incentive to be a little more encouraging to its own players, who are always "ahead of schedule" on their rehabs.
Either way, if Minnesota giving up a first-round pick for Bradford wasn't evidence enough, the likelihood of Bridgewater not being ready for the start of next season makes it even clearer that it was more than a one-year rental. Bradford will probably be throwing passes to Stefon Diggs, Kyle Rudolph and Adam Thielen again next year, too.
More Vikings news: Minnesota has a number of free agent and contract issues to work through. They're discussed in the linked mailbag, with questions including what level to tender restricted free agent Adam Thielen at, whether Cordarrelle Patterson (also a free agent) has a future at running back ala Ty Montgomery, and how to fix the team's woeful offensive line.
Minnesota also has to figure out what to do with Adrian Peterson. He won't be back at his current contract ($18 million for next season) and in fact has a $6 million roster bonus due in early March that won't be paid. So he'll be available, perhaps, which will give the team another possible hole to fill.
Peterson was a dud when he played last year, but had a big season in 2015. He'll turn 32 in March -- not necessarily all through, but not a given to get a big contract, either. And Minnesota has a lot of other needs and contracts to address, and no first-round pick, to be sinking a ton of money into retaining Peterson. Lot of offseason issues to deal with for the Vikings.
--Andy Richardson