It wasn’t all that long ago that looking ahead to a Week Seven game between the Vikings and Eagles would have meant wondering how quarterback Sam Bradford would do against Minnesota’s tough defense.
That became a non-issue when Teddy Bridgewater hurt his knee in a late summer practice, leading to the trade that sent Bradford to Minnesota and elevated rookie Carson Wentz to the first string in Philadelphia. Wentz’s initial arrival on the team following a trade that netted the Eagles the second overall pick in the 2016 draft didn’t sit well with Bradford, who took some time away from the team and asked for a trade that didn’t come until the Vikings had a major hole to fill on their offense.
Bradford now has a chance to face the team that made a big move to acquire his replacement shortly after signing Bradford to a new deal, but he says he’s not going to let that past history impact him as he heads into the game.
“I think I owe it to all the guys in the locker room to not try to do anything special,” Bradford said, via the Minneapolis Star Tribune. “I think when you get caught up in everything that’s going on outside the building ... I think that’s when games can go wrong.”
There’s a lot of football left to be played this season, but the deal has been a win for both teams through the first six weeks of the season as the Vikings are 5-0 and the Eagles are 3-2 with future draft picks in their pocket. It’s been good for both quarterbacks as well.
Wentz is getting a chance to show he can handle the job and Bradford has played well in his four starts. That might not do anything to secure a future in Minnesota, but should give teams looking for a quarterback confidence that Bradford can come in quickly and pick up an offense if he’s on the move again this offseason.