Mike Zimmer says Sam Bradford has ‘degenerative’ knee issue

Sam Bradford appeared in just two games last season because of a nagging knee injury, and it is fair to wonder if the issue will ever go away after the way Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer described it.

While speaking with reporters on Thursday, Zimmer was asked how concerning Bradford’s knee injury is going forward. He basically said it will never fully go away, though he indicated Bradford is currently feeling great.

Asked Zimmer about the level concern medically with Sam Bradford. He referred to Bradford’s knee as degenerative but also said Bradford was skiing last week. Getting through a full season is the unknown.

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 1, 2018

Bradford, like Case Keenum and Teddy Bridgewater, is set to become a free agent, but Zimmer said all three quarterbacks are “definitely” possibilities for the Vikings going forward. Of the three, Bradford seems like the least likely to return to Minnesota in 2018.

The nagging pain in Bradford’s knee was in the same one in which he tore his ACL in 2013 and again in 2014. While reports indicated he was not dealing with structural damage this season, he was still in a lot of pain. Based on what Zimmer said, that pain could return at any moment for the 30-year-old.