Minnesota Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater isn't exactly polarizing, but he does inspire varied opinions. On one hand, you have a host of NFL people thinking he's headed for a breakout season this year thanks to his accuracy and poise. On the other, some NFL insiders think he's merely a good quarterback, but will never be a great one. His true standing has yet to be revealed.
One way the Vikings can aid his development as a potential franchise quarterback is to continue to surround him with weapons. The team traded for speedster Mike Wallace this offseason and will have running back Adrian Peterson back on the field as well. Both should help. But Minnesota may not be done there.
Projecting draft slots this far in advance is rarely an accurate endeavor. But getting an idea of which players are being valued highly and which positions teams are targeting is a worthwhile exercise. As such, Charlie Campbell of WalterFootball.com projects the Vikings to select Ole Miss wide receiver Laquon Treadwell with the No. 11 pick in the 2016 NFL Draft.
"The Vikings traded for Mike Wallace, but it remains unclear if they have Teddy Bridgewater's long-term No. 1," Campbell wrote. "Minnesota could use a true lead receiver for its young quarterback to grow with.
"Treadwell (6-2, 229) had 48 receptions for 632 yards and five touchdowns in 2014 before an ugly knee injury ended his season. He is a natural receiver who causes a lot of mismatches. Treadwell was one of the top recruits in the nation, and as a freshman, he was immediately effective against SEC defensive backs. Treadwell caught 72 receptions for 608 yards with five scores in 2013."
Minnesota is coming off a solid 7-9 season in which they put together a top 10 pass-defense and Bridgewater finished the year in a flurry. If they can carry that momentum into 2015 and challenge for the playoffs, it's unlikely they will be picking at No. 11. Either way, providing their young QB with top notch offensive support should be a priority for the organization going forward.
