Mike Zimmer is feeling good about first round pick Garrett Bradbury. The Minnesota Vikings had a disappointing 2018 season, missing the playoffs one year after making the NFC Championship Game. The first year of the Kirk Cousins era didn't go according to plan, and the offensive line was one of the biggest reasons why.
The O-line struggled all year long, both in pass protection and the running game. Cousins was often running for his life, while Dalvin Cook had no lanes to run through out of the backfield. The Vikings understandably made upgrading the unit a priority this offseason, and they drafted Bradbury 18th overall in April.
So far, Zimmer is pleased with what he's seen from the rookie.
“He’s a very athletic guy that [can] really bend. He’s got good power, he’s very competitive,” said Zimmer, per Lindsey Young of the team's official site.
“He’s done a good job. We’re giving him a lot of different looks defensively, so I think that’s good for him. There’s times when we [confuse him a] little bit, but he’s very, very bright and doing a good job.”
Zimmer also pointed out that Bradbury has been remaining on the field after practice to get extra work in. That's music to the ears of Vikings fans, who are hoping he can be the team's longterm answer at center.
The N.C. State product originally began his college career at tight end, before moving to offensive line. This past season, he was a consensus All-American and first-team All-ACC selection.
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