Sam Bradford to serve as backup to Case Keenum against Saints

ByCOURTNEY CRONIN
January 14, 2018, 3:19 PM

— -- MINNEAPOLIS -- Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Bradford will back up Case Keenum on Sunday when Minnesota hosts New Orleans Saints in the divisional round of the playoffs.

Bradford was activated to the 53-man roster on Saturday after spending nine weeks on injured reserve. The quarterback returned to practice on Jan. 3 and wrapped up his fifth session on Friday.

Teddy Bridgewater?was listed as inactive for Sunday's game. Since coach Mike Zimmer arrived in 2014, Minnesota has never had three quarterbacks dress for a game.

Bradford played in one full game this season when he torched the Saints in Week 1 for 346 passing yards and three touchdowns. In that game, the quarterback sustained a non-contact knee injury that forced him to miss his next three starts. Bradford returned in Chicago in Week 5 but was pulled before halftime after aggravating his injured left knee.

While Zimmer admitted Bradford's five practices make it difficult to judge where he's at, the Vikings coach did say he believes the quarterback is healthy enough to play should the Vikings need him in the postseason.

Bridgewater has been the Vikings' No. 2 quarterback since he returned in Week 10. He saw his first game action since dislocating his knee in the 2016 preseason in the fourth quarter of Minnesota's 34-7 rout of Cincinnati on Dec. 17.

Keenum, Bradford and Bridgewater are free agents in 2018.