Purple Headlines of the Week: Vikings Lose Week 1, Garrett Bradbury Injury, No Contract for Justin Jefferson
The Minnesota Vikings played host to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 1.
Unfortunately, the season got off to a sour start for the purple team as they lost by a score of 20-17 to the reigning NFC South champs.
Now, as we get ready for Week 2, here is a look at all the purple headlines of the past week.
Vikings Lose Season Opener vs. Bucs, 20-17
The Vikings hosted the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in their regular season opener on Sunday, but the game did not turn out as many fans would’ve hoped. Some key mistakes cost Minnesota in this game, and they fell to Tampa, 20-17.
A few notable mistakes from the offense included a Kirk Cousins interception down in the red zone. On a target to K.J. Osborn, rookie CB Christian Izien stepped up and picked off the pass near the goal-line. Additionally, Ed Ingram inadvertently slapped a snap out of Austin Schlottmann’s hands that resulted in a fumble recovery for Tampa Bay.
Now, the Vikings have to go to Philadelphia on a short week and play against the reigning NFC champion Eagles. They will need to clean up these mistakes in order to have a chance at winning that game. A loss would put Minnesota in an 0-2 hole with matchups against the Chargers, Bears, and Chiefs looming in Weeks 3-5.
Garrett Bradbury Suffers Back Injury
Making matters worse for the Vikings on Sunday, they saw starting center Garrett Bradbury exit the game with a back injury during the first half. As a result, Austin Schlottmann was forced to step into the lineup for the remainder of the game.
This injury is concerning for Minnesota because Bradbury was hampered by a back injury for much of the closing stretch during 2022. The Vikings brought him back this offseason on a new three-year contract with hopes that he would be able to hold down that center position for the next few years.
Justin Jefferson Doesn’t Get a New Deal Before Week 1
Many reports came flying out this week that the Vikings had hopes of getting a new contract extension done with Justin Jefferson prior to Week 1. However, a new contract agreement could not be reached between the two sides.
It now appears that Jefferson’s contract will have to wait for next offseason. Considering the Vikings still have the wide receiver’s fifth-year option, they have plenty of time to get the deal done. However, a lack of a contract this offseason only means his price will rise.
In Case You Missed It…
- Kirk Cousins’ Honest Response to Vikings Mistakes
- Vikings Inactives for Week 1
- Vikings Complete Contract Extension with Josh Metellus
- Coaches Are Confident in Vikings IOL
Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.