JC Tretter where are you? Those are the words on many Minnesota Vikings’ fan’s minds. With the continued struggles of the matador-like incumbent Vikings’ center, Garrett Bradbury, many purple fans were hoping for an intervention from the East. As of now, those fans remain tragically disappointed.
Minnesota fans are all too familiar with the trials and tribulations of Bradbury. Always a competent run blocker, the smallish center tends to get overwhelmed by bigger, stronger tackles on pass rushes. Bradbury gained weight and strength in the off-season and the Vikings were hopeful that the change would make him sturdier with his pass blocking. Also, they were hopeful that Kevin O’Connell’s short zone blocking scheme would cover up some of Bradbury’s deficiencies.
Garrett Bradbury Struggles
But then the gossip started to filter out of the Vikings’ training camp. Word was spreading that Bradbury was being bulldozed on a regular basis by Vikings tackles Harrison Phillips and Dalvin Tomlinson. They apparently have been overpowering him consistently on pass rushes. The situation is exacerbated further by the fact that the Vikings don’t have an able backup to Bradbury.
Chris Reed and Austin Schlottmann have played a combined 42 snaps as centers in the NFL. They are not going to make anyone forget Vikings’ great Mick Tingelhoff. The Vikings are so desperate that there were rumors this year that long-forgotten guard, Wyatt Davis might be moved to center.
JC Tretter is Still Available
So why haven’t the Vikings made an overture to JC Tretter? Perhaps Tretter’s rickety knees and ankles have finally given out on him. Because even though Tretter, played in all 80 games while with the Cleveland Browns, he rarely ever practiced due to his injuries. Perhaps former Browns’ official and current Vikings’ General Manger Kwesi Adofo-Mensah knows something about JC Tretter’s condition that we don’t.
Another theory put forward by Tretter’s former Browns teammate, Joel Bitonio has nothing to do with Tretter’s health or performance on the field. He states that maybe Tretter is being blackballed by the league due to his advocacy work as the NFL Players Association President. In fact, just recently, Tretter expressed his concern regarding the safety of the playing surface at Chicago’s Soldier Field.
JC Tretter Where Are You?
If the Vikings want to make a move on JC Tretter, they better hurry. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have potentially lost their center, Ryan Jensen for the season with a knee injury. And just yesterday, the Browns declared that their new center, Nick Harris was out for the season, also with a knee injury. Times a wasting Minnesota Vikings. JC Tretter where are you?
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