NFL teams
Kevin Seifert, ESPN Staff Writer 6y

Sam Bradford has wear and tear; Teddy Bridgewater faces exam

NFL, Minnesota Vikings

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- An MRI performed Tuesday showed no new damage to the injured left knee of Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Bradford, according to team athletic trainer Eric Sugarman.

Bradford is suffering from what Sugarman termed "wear and tear" on the knee, but his status remains day to day.

It was not immediately clear whether Bradford is a candidate to start Sunday against the Green Bay Packers. Backup Case Keenum would start if Bradford couldn't.

Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said that Sugarman said he is "going to check to see how he's going to do tomorrow and we'll see where it goes from there."

Also, Teddy Bridgewater, who is on the team's physically unable to perform list, is scheduled to visit a doctor next Monday to determine whether he can begin practicing. Bridgewater, who has not taken a snap since suffering a knee injury in August 2016, is required to miss the first six weeks of the season under PUP rules. He would be eligible to begin practicing as soon as Oct. 18.

Zimmer was asked if he thought Bridgewater would play this season.

"I have belief that he will but he hasn't been on the field yet so it's hard to say," he said.

Zimmer said that he's not concerned with the uncertainty surrounding Bradford.

"It's not difficult. We just go each day," he said.

Bradford played Monday night for the first time since Week 1. But the Vikings (3-2) removed him late in the second quarter, and Keenum led the team to a 20-17 victory over the Chicago Bears.

Bradford looked uncomfortable from the opening play and was limping noticeably by the time he gave way to Keenum. Sugarman said Bradford "obviously aggravated" the knee at some point during the game and pushed back strongly on suggestions that Bradford was not healthy enough to play in the first place.

"We would never put a player on the field that we thought could not protect himself," Sugarman said. "... These issues are very difficult to manage and to treat. ... We were all on the same page with, 'Should Sam play or should Sam not play?'"

Sugarman said Bradford does not have ligament damage and is not dealing with a bone bruise "from a direct hit." He did not mention whether there are cartilage issues, but noted that that Bradford has had the ACL in that knee repaired twice in his career.

When pressed if there is a medical diagnosis beyond "wear and tear," Sugarman demurred.

"I'm just going to stay with that," he said.

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