The Vikings' high hopes for the 2017 season, stung when quarterback Teddy Bridgewater was lost for the season on Tuesday, have been revitalized.
Sam Bradford, a former NFL first overall pick after winning a Heisman Trophy, was acquired Saturday from the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Vikings sent a first-round pick in next year's draft and a conditional fourth-round pick in 2018 to Philadelphia to add Bradford, who signed a two-year, $36 million contract extension with the Eagles this spring.
Bradford, 28, was the first choice in the 2010 NFL draft by the St. Louis Rams and has started 63 games in his six-year career. He must pass a physical before the trade is finalized.
Bridgewater suffered a dislocated left knee, torn anterior cruciate ligament and other structural damage in a routine practice drill on Tuesday and is facing surgery.
The Vikings accepted Bradford's deal as-is from Philadelphia, so he is set to earn $7 million base salary for the coming season. The move was only possible after they released veteran center John Sullivan, freeing more than $5 million in salary cap space last week.
Bradford is under contract through the 2017 season, though the Vikings will have flexibility. He's due a $4 million roster bonus on the fifth day of the league year in March, which gives the Vikings a window to move on without cost for next season. Bradford's contract does have an injury-only guarantee of $4 million for 2017.
Bradford has thrown for 14,790 yards, 78 touchdowns, has 52 interceptions and has an 81.0 passer rating. The Rams traded Bradford to the Eagles during the 2015 offseason, and he set team records for completions and completion percentage last season.
Bradford arrives in Minnesota already knowing a handful of key players and coaches.
The Vikings made the move with the opinion of first-year tight ends coach Pat Shurmur, who was the Rams offensive coordinator when they drafted Bradford with the No. 1 overall pick six years ago. Shurmur and Bradford also spent the 2015 season together in Philadelphia.
At Oklahoma, Bradford won the Heisman Trophy and was a redshirt freshman during Adrian Peterson's final season with the Sooners. He also spent the 2014 season in the same Rams quarterback room as Shaun Hill, who presumably will still lead the Vikings into the regular-season opener as Bradford acclimates himself to the playbook and his teammates.
The Vikings waived rookie quarterback Joel Stave on Saturday, leaving Bradford and Hill as the only quarterbacks on the roster. Stave is likely to be added to the team's practice squad by Monday. Taylor Heinicke, who was on the team last year, has a foot injury and wouldn't be ready until late September at the earliest.
Bradford might be able to give Bridgewater some advice on recovery from a torn anterior cruciate ligament, since he's done it _ twice.
Bradford first tore his left ACL in the middle of the 2013 season. Less than a year later, a preseason sack resulted in the same ACL being torn, which forced him to miss the 2014 season.
In his return, Bradford started 14 games for the Eagles last season, throwing for 3,725 yards, 19 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. He fumbled 10 times, losing three.
The Eagles took North Dakota State quarterback Carson Wentz with the second pick in this year's draft, signaling an eventual move away from Bradford as the team's starting quarterback.
The fourth-round pick in 2018 will become a second-round pick if the Vikings win the Super Bowl this season, according to an NFL source.
