Sam Bradford expected to return to practice next week

The Minnesota Vikings could be the favorite to win the NFC now that Carson Wentz is out for the season with a knee injury, and they might have more quarterback depth than any team in postseason history when the playoffs begin.

On Wednesday, Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer said he expects Sam Bradford to return to practice next week.

Coach Zimmer says he anticipates Sam Bradford will return to practice next week, but unsure of his availability for the playoffs.

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) December 27, 2017

For whatever reason, Zimmer refuses to commit to Case Keenum as his starting quarterback for the remainder of the year. The Vikings can secure a first-round bye if they beat the Chicago Bears on Sunday, so they may have an additional week to get some clarity on their quarterback situation.

Keenum has done nothing but win since he took over for Bradford earlier in the season. The Vikings have won 10 of their last 11 games, and Keenum has thrown just two interceptions in his last six starts. It looked like he would be on a short leash when Teddy Bridgewater was cleared to play weeks ago, but Keenum has done nothing that would make Zimmer want to make a change.

Bridgewater saw his first game action since 2015 two weeks ago and received an overwhelming ovation from fans, but Zimmer has to stick with what works. There’s no reason to think Bradford or Bridgewater are better for the job than Keenum.