5 replacements for Teddy Bridgewater
By John Buhler
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater suffered an injury in practice on Tuesday. Here are five quarterbacks that could step up in his absence.
Teddy Bridgewater appeared to have suffered a knee injury that may end up wrecking a promising season for the Vikings. Practice was called immediately. Teammates were visibly praying that everything would turn out alright for their starting quarterback.
It might be that Bridgewater is lost for the season. If that’s the case, who should the Vikings target to replace him if they want to remain Super Bowl contenders.
5. Colin Kaepernick
Would the Vikings look at controversial quarterback of the 49ers in Colin Kaepernick? With Blaine Gabbert almost certainly winning the starting job in San Francisco, there is a good chance that the 49ers may end up cutting Kaepernick before the start of the 2016 regular season.
Kaepernick has fallen on hard times as a player. He’s not the same dynamic dual-threat playmaker he was for the 49ers in 2012, leading that team to a Super Bowl appearance. Though he hasn’t commanded Chip Kelly’s up-tempo offense in San Francisco, maybe he can be the spark the Vikings will need in Norv Turner’s offense should Bridgewater be out for the year?
Kaepernick is more mobile and has a stronger arm than Bridgewater. Without question, Bridgewater is a more accurate passer and better above the shoulders than Kaepernick, but the Vikings offense will need some dynamic play in Bridgewater’s absence to stay relevant in the deep NFC this fall.
Turner’s offense is certainly more archaic than what Kelly is running in San Francisco. Though deep drop backs could ruin Kaepernick in the Minnesota, maybe a simpler passing attack from yesteryear could be what he needs to revitalize his NFL career. Either way, Minnesota has to do something and could gamble on a player like Kaepernick in a worst case scenario.
Next: 4. Zach Mettenberger