Following the season-ending knee injury to Teddy Bridgewater, the Minnesota Vikings have moved to fill the gap by trading for Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Sam Bradford.
Vikings GM Rick Spielman has given up a first and conditional fourth round draft pick to acquire Bradford, with the NFC North franchise deciding that Shaun Hill would not be the answer for them under centre.
Bradford to lead Vikings who believe they are in win-now mode
For the Vikings front office to offer so much to land Bradford, they have made it clear that they believe this team is ready to challenge now deep into the season.
Having had to suffer the demoralising loss of their franchise QB on Tuesday, Spielman went to work to find a starting-callibre replacement and has landed the former number one overall pick from the 2010 Draft.
A stout defence, revamped offensive line and Adrian Peterson have seen the Minnesota franchise touted Super Bowl outsider, and so going into the season with Hill, Joel Stave and Taylor Heinicke was never going to be the answer.
Bradford now links up with former offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur who is now with Minnesota, while the former Oklahoma passer joins up with another ex-Sooner in the form of all-star running-back Peterson.
The $7 million Bradford will be paid in 2017 is not a huge salary which the Vikings will be happy with, and with him under contract through 2018, they will have their answer at QB if Bridgewater fails to return from his brutal ACL injury in time for next season.
Eagles expected to start Daniel, with Wentz waiting in the wings
The Eagles are now expected to start Chase Daniel at quarterback, with recent first-round pick Carson Wentz waiting in the wings are suffering an injury during the pre-season.
General Manager Howie Roseman had always maintained that he would not trade away Bradford unless the offer was too good to turn down. Re-couping a 2017 first-rounder which was originally given up to take Wentz in May became all the more-important after the city of Philadelphia was announced as the host for the 2017 NFL Draft.
Also adding a conditional fouth-round pick for the 2018 Draft, Roseman and the Eagles will be pleased with their end of the trade having seen Bradford fail to take them to the playoffs in 2015.