Mike Zimmer: Teddy Bridgewater's Knee Had 'Limitations'; Vikings Were Concerned

Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer said on Tuesday that medical personnel had some concerns about quarterback Teddy Bridgewater's knee last season. 

According to ESPN.com's Courtney Cronin, Zimmer suggested that the doctors viewed Bridgewater's progress differently than he did: "The reports I'd get back from the medical people weren't as positive as I was about it. That's kind of how it came down is that his knee wasn't as...he still has some recovery to do. When I watched him in practice he moved well, I didn't see limitations but from what I told there was some."

Bridgewater signed a one-year, $6 million contract this offseason with the New York Jets, per Spotrac.

A major knee injury kept Bridgewater out for all of 2016 and part of 2017 before he returned in a backup capacity during the second half of the year.

With Case Keenum playing well, Bridgewater saw action in only one game last season, finishing 0-of-2 with an interception.

Minnesota decided to let Bridgewater, Keenum and Sam Bradford all walk in free agency this offseason in favor of signing former Washington Redskins signal-caller Kirk Cousins.

Bridgewater was a first-round pick out of Louisville in 2014 and he showed big-time potential in 2015, as he led the Vikes to an 11-5 record and was named to the Pro Bowl.

Questions remain about the status of his knee, however, and he recently declined to get into specifics regarding his health, per ESPN.com's Rich Cimini: "That's not something I'm comfortable talking about right now. I'm pretty sure that will be a discussion I have with the training staff, and we'll come up with a plan moving forward."

Bridgewater will have a chance to win the starting job in New York. The Jets have Josh McCown, Bryce Petty and Christian Hackenberg on the roster, and another quarterback could be on the way.

New York traded up from No. 6 to No. 3 in the first round of the 2018 NFL draft with the Indianapolis Colts.

The Jets could target USC's Sam Darnold, UCLA's Josh Rosen, Wyoming's Josh Allen or Oklahoma's Baker Mayfield.

The Jets clearly aren't putting all of their eggs in the Bridgewater basket, but the fact that he's still young and brimming with potential gives him a legitimate shot to start in 2018, provided his knee is healthy.