The Minnesota Vikings last night decided they didn’t want to chance waiting until Day 2 of the draft to get their quarterback of the future, so they made a trade with the Seattle Seahawks for the No. 32 pick and used that selection to grab quarterback Teddy Bridgewater.
The former Louisville star had been passed on by 31 other teams, a somewhat surprising move given Bridgewater’s college success and many teams’ apparent need for a quarterback. He was undoubtedly hurt by his poor pro day in March, although his private workout conducted a few weeks ago went much better.
It never ceases to amaze us how someone with a long college track record of success can all of a sudden be perceived as a sub-par quarterback just because of a pro day. Nothing about that environment is like an NFL game; they don’t wear pads, there’s no defense, and there aren't any fans. But we digress.
The Vikings sent their second round pick (No. 40 overall) and their fourth rounder (no. 108) to Seattle to complete the trade, and along with UCLA’s Anthony Barr have now given themselves two promising young players to build on. Head coach Mike Zimmer said of Bridgewater, “He leads. He makes the players around him better,” and that “we wouldn't have moved up for just anybody.”
The Vikings have quarterbacks Matt Cassel and Christian Ponder on the roster, and it figures to be an open competition between the three for the starting job once training camp begins.
[via ESPN]
