The Minnesota Vikings are throwing a proverbial “Hail Mary” to save their season while running back Adrian Peterson is still a dominant force.  That is the only explanation for the team trading for former No. 1 overall pick Sam Bradford.

When quarterback Teddy Bridgewater went down last week with a torn ACL and dislocated knee cap, the Vikings chances of the postseason were in major jeopardy.

After trading for Sam Bradford, the Vikings chances of the postseason are still in major jeopardy.

Bradford has been statistically one of the worst quarterbacks in the NFL through his career.  His No. 1 overall pedigree still has teams willing to spend on him and give him “another chance.”

The Vikings reportedly gave up a first round pick in 2017 and a fourth round pick in 2018 which can turn into a second or third to acquire his services, likely for just one year.

The good news for Minnesota is that they don’t need Bradford to do all that much.  Just hand the ball to Adrian Peterson, don’t turn the ball over and watch the defense dominate opponents.

The real question is why did they need to give up a first-round pick and more to get a guy who has proven himself to be little more than a backup quarterback, when they have Shaun Hill, a perfectly capable backup quarterback?

What does this mean for each of the parties involved?

Bradford was always going to get his $18 million for this season and now he gets to play with a much better team than that in Philadelphia.  He gets to leave a terrible situation with a city that doesn’t want him when he has no future there thanks to the Eagles drafting Carson Wentz with the No. 2 overall pick in April’s NFL Draft.  He can try to resurrect his career and if he somehow catches lightning in a bottle and realizes his massive potential, it’s conceivable that he could win the starting job next season over Teddy Bridgewater, who has averaged just 14 touchdown passes per year.

In all likelihood, Bradford will play his mediocre brand of football, then be jettisoned into free agency after the 2016 season rather than the team paying his $4 million roster bonus.

Shaun Hill will possibly start Week 1 and then return to his familiar position as the Vikings backup.  It’s like 2014 all over again with Hill backing up Bradford.  Maybe the Vikings can relive some of that 6-10 magic?

Teddy Bridgewater has to be feeling some pressure, despite his “vow” and this inspirational statement–

I want to thank the Wilf Family and the entire Vikings organization, all of my teammates, friends, Eric Sugarman and the amazing Vikings athletic training staff and the fans who have sent me messages and wished me well. Your thoughts and prayers mean a lot to me and have helped me in this difficult time. There are great players and great leaders in our locker room who are going to fight to the end to reach the goals we set for 2016. I will be there mentally, physically and in spirit to support them accomplish those goals.

In order to have a testimony, you have to have a test. I come from amazing DNA, I watched my mom fight and win against breast cancer. We will, as a team, attack my rehab with the same vigor and energy. My faith is strong, my faith is unwavering and my vision is clear. My purpose will not be denied.

Bridgewater should come back fine, but let’s not pretend he’s all that accomplished as an NFL passer.  The Vikings have had one of the worst passing games in the NFL and right now his team is auditioning a player with better draft pedigree and more experience.  It’s still more likely than not that he comes back and becomes the Minnesota starter once again, but this does add more of a layer of uncertainty than if Hill were taking over in the interim.

Philadelphia Eagles executive vice president of football operations Howie Roseman is likely doing backflips in his office as he not only clears up a quarterback quandary by getting rid of an overpriced (because he made him that way) player who doesn’t want to be there, but he gets a first-round pick in return.  The team gets to have a more normal situation going into the season with two quarterbacks.

Chase Daniel will likely be named the Eagles starting quarterback for the foreseeable future, or until Carson Wentz is ready to take over.

Carson Wentz only has to leapfrog a career backup in Daniel to eventually take over his role as long-term starter.

For one of the few times this offseason, we can say that the Philadelphia Eagles were the clear winner in a transaction involving another franchise.  This would have been a good deal for the Eagles if they received just a fourth round pick for Bradford, but they received a first and a fourth.  The is addition by subtraction, followed by more addition of draft picks.

The Minnesota Vikings and general manager Rick Spielman simply panicked.  This was just a day after making this statement about finding another quarterback.

“The one thing that I will not do — and I promise you this — is put our organization in a situation where it’s going to inhibit us or hurt us going into the future,” Spielman said, via USA Today. “By that, I mean people are asking for some crazy things. People think that you are desperate, and we are not going to do something that in my estimation, and talking with Coach Zim (Mike Zimmer) and our ownership, that puts us in a situation where we jeopardize the future of this franchise.”

Trading away a valuable first round pick is jeopardizing your future, Rick.