Set to hit free agency, Bradbury wants to return to Vikings

Garrett Bradbury says he'd like to re-sign with the Minnesota Vikings when he becomes an unrestricted free agent this offseason. 

"I'll have some good conversations here with the team moving forward, let them know that I love it here, I love being here," Bradbury said Tuesday. "I'd like to stay here. But it's a business and have to approach it as such. Have to figure out where the next steps are, but it's definitely weird."

Last season, Bradbury was ranked by PFF 39th out of 41 centers who played at least 20% of their team's snaps. He graded out as the third-worst pass-blocking center and was ranked 21st in run blocking. 

This season, he was 12th overall, 9th in run blocking and although he improved as a pass blocker, he still ranked 23rd out of 31 centers who played nearly 600 snaps. 

Bradbury, the 18th overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, returned for the playoff game against the Giants after missing five games with a back injury. Bradbury struggled mightily against Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, who was routinely in the backfield and putting heat on Kirk Cousins. 

Bradbury's PFF grade against the Giants was 28.0 out of a possible 100 points. It was bad, but he was going up against Lawrence, who was Pro Football Focus' (PFF) No. 1-ranked defensive tackle this season. The only games Bradbury had a worse pass-blocking grade were against Miami in Week 6 and Green Bay in Week 1. Miami boasts Christian Wilkins on the interior while Kenny Clark has been a menace for the Packers against the Vikings for years. 

The issues against Lawrence were a magnified view of the issues Bradbury has had in pass protection throughout his career. This season, he led all centers in pressures allowed (29) and QB hits (8), according to PFF.  

"It's been an awesome year," Bradbury said. "I told [Kevin O'Connell], this is the most fun year I've had. Coming to work every day, obviously winning is fun and that takes care of a lot of it, but just the day-to-day life here, it's awesome here right now. They got a good thing building here."

If Bradbury doesn't return, the Vikings will need to look elsewhere for a starting center. Their only options on the roster are Austin Schlottmann, who is recovering from a broken leg suffered in Week 17 against the Packers, and Chris Reed, the former Minnesota State-Mankato player who has been a journeyman guard in the NFL.