Vikings Decline Teddy Bridgewater’s Fifth-Year Option, Pick Up Anthony Barr’s

The Minnesota Vikings announced on Monday two major decisions regarding their roster: they will exercise linebacker Anthony Barr’s fifth-year option, but won’t do the same for quarterback Teddy Bridgewater’s option.

Vikings Exercise Anthony’s Fifth-Year Option, Decline Teddy Bridgewater’s

Barr, the ninth overall pick in the 2014 draft, would thus remain in Minnesota for the 2018 season at an amount of $12.3 million.

Bridgewater, meanwhile, continues to recover from a torn ACL and dislocated left knee he suffered last preseason, so the Vikings’ decision regarding him is not very surprising.

The option on the 24-year-old quarterback’s contract would also have been worth more than $12 million.

Coach Mike Zimmer has stated he hopes Bridgewater continues playing in Minnesota, although Zimmer added there is no plan for the Vikings at quarterback except Sam Bradford — who has one year remaining on his contract — until the team knows more regarding Bridgewater’s future.

“It’s when he gets healthy, we’ll worry about it,” Zimmer said at the NFL owners meetings on March 29. “We don’t know when it’s going to be. If he comes in tomorrow and is 100 percent, which he won’t, but if he did, then we’d have to adjust things. But right now we don’t know when he’s going to be ready.”

According to “Around the NFL” writer Kevin Patra, Bridgewater is likely to begin the final season of his rookie contract on the physically unable to perform list. If he doesn’t come off the PUP list for all of next season, the quarterback’s contract would toll and add another season in Minnesota, according to NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport. 

Barr played his second Pro Bowl last season, but this came after an unproductive season during which the UCLA alum only recorded two sacks and two fumbles (one forced, one recovered). The linebacker’s best season came in 2015, when he interrupted seven passes, intercepted one, forced three fumbles and logged three sacks in 14 games.

MINNEAPOLIS, MN – JANUARY 10: Teddy Bridgewater #5 of the Minnesota Vikings drops back in the fourth quarter against the Seattle Seahawks during the NFC Wild Card Playoff game at TCFBank Stadium on January 10, 2016 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)