Vikings QB Teddy Bridgewater plays in 1st NFL game since January 2016 in rout of Bengals

In August of 2016 Teddy Bridgewater suffered a catastrophic knee injury that threatened to end his budding career. In December 2017 he returned to the field in Minneapolis to log his first live-game snaps in nearly two seasons.

Bridgewater replaced starting quarterback Case Keenum in the fourth quarter of the Vikings’ rout of the Bengals on Sunday. The fourth-year player entered the game to a rousing ovation from the hometown crowd at U.S. Bank Stadium.

After two handoffs, his first pass of the season deflected off Jerick McKinnon’s hands and into Shawn Williams’ hands for an interception.

Bridgewater was supposed to regain the Vikings’ starting quarterback position after returning from the dislocated knee that erased his third season as a pro, but Keenum’s heady play kept Bridgewater on the bench even after returning to full strength. The former Texan and Ram has had an unlikely renaissance under offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur, throwing 19 touchdown passes and just seven interceptions in 12 starts this fall.

But Keenum’s inspired play has also created a problem for Minnesota’s long-term planning. The Vikings are slated to head into the 2018 offseason without any of their current passers — Keenum, Bridgewater, and 2016 starter Sam Bradford — under contract. Getting Bridgewater onto the field in meaningful situations would help the club better understand what he can offer moving forward and whether he’s a better long-term investment than Keenum.

Keenum, for whatever it’s worth, was just 9-15 as a starter before having his career defibrillated in the Twin Cities.

It’s possible. Next week’s showdown with a desperate Packers team is likely to be a firefight, but Week 17’s game against the Bears may be a situation where neither team has anything to play for. That would make a great opportunity for Minnesota to insert Bridgewater back into the starting lineup to see how he performs — although giving Keenum two idle weeks may not be ideal.

Bridgewater could also find his way into the lineup if Keenum struggles, but the former backup has been rock solid this fall. He carved up the Bengals with a 13-15, 160-yard, one-touchdown performance in the first half.

Another appearance could be extremely beneficial for Bridgewater. Any playing time he gets this season won’t just give the Vikings the chance to evaluate him, but every other team in the market for a quarterback next spring. A big performance could lead to a much bigger contract from teams who would have shied away from the young passer due to his injury history.