Garrett Bradbury will stay with the Vikings as the center has agreed to a three-year contract with the team, a person close to the player who was not authorized to speak publicly confirmed. Athleticism. Here’s what you need to know:
- Bradbury’s deal is worth up to $15.75 million, the person close to Bradbury has confirmed.
- The 27-year-old center was a starter his entire time in the league after the Vikings drafted him in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft.
- The Vikings are finalizing a two-year deal with former Cardinals cornerback Byron Murphy worth around $22 million, according to reports.
- Quarterback Kirk Cousins also restructured his contract to help save Minnesota $16 million, according to reports.
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The Vikings maintain the continuity of OL
Bradbury loves Minnesota’s offensive line room, having developed relationships with elite tackles like Brian O’Neill and Christian Darrisaw. The 2019 first-round pick has also improved every year, allowing for fewer snap pressures in 2022 than any other season in his career, per PFF. This improvement, however, still placed him 28th out of 32 crosses in blocking efficiency, which explains the complexity of the decision to pay him or let him walk. — lewis
Why did the Vikings choose to re-sign Bradbury?
First off, Bradbury is familiar with head coach Kevin O’Connell’s system and Cousins’ tendencies. Second, the Vikings needed a center and, given their salary cap constraints, they weren’t going to be able to break the bank to acquire one. Bradbury fits the bill in the sense that he’s always wanted to stay in purple. On locker room cleaning day, the center expressed his preference: He wanted to stay with an offensive line room that has come closer over the years. The Vikings took advantage of Bradbury’s preference. — lewis
What about Bradbury’s production?
For years, Bradbury’s game has been a source of polarization among Vikings fans. The fact that he was a first-round pick in 2019 shapes part of the narrative. Bradbury, however, also struggled in his early seasons at centre. He’s been moored for four sacks in 2019, according to PFF, and five sacks in 2020. In the past two years, he’s only been credited for four sacks combined. Bradbury also missed time last season due to a back injury. That said, he applauded the team’s new training staff, led by Tyler Williams, who also counts as part of that deal. The team was and is well aware of Bradbury’s limitations – more aware than any other. This should help its development. — lewis
Earlier in the day, the Vikings restructured quarterback Kirk Cousins’ deal.
What was the thinking behind this move?
As of 4 p.m. ET Wednesday, every NFL team must comply with the salary cap. Before the Cousins restructuring, the Vikings remained in the red. By converting a portion of its roster bonus into a signing bonus, the team has alleviated current cap issues, pushing money into the future. As part of the restructuring, the Vikings also added two more blank years, which spreads out future money in the event the team retains Cousins. The restructuring, however, does not indicate that Cousins will be the Vikings’ QB in the long term. It could, however, increase the likelihood that the team will be able to keep safety Harrison Smith and running back Dalvin Cook. — lewis
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(Photo: Brad Mills/USA Today)