Latest news with #GarrettBradbury
USA Today
6 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Patriots vet issues warning to team ahead of Vikings joint practice
This week is an NFL homecoming of sorts for New England Patriots center Garrett Bradbury, who returns to Minnesota to face off against his former Vikings teammates. The veteran center, a former first-round draft pick, spent six long years with the franchise, so he has an idea of how the show is run in Minnesota. If the Patriots are hoping for some vanilla walkthrough in 11-on-11s during the scheduled joint practices, they should think again, according to Bradbury. Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores, a man the Patriots know all too well, will likely treat the practice sessions like a real competition. "I've seen some offenses come in there for joint practice with not a lot of game-plan and it's an absolute disaster [for them]. You have to game-plan," Bradbury warned, via ESPN's Mike Reiss. The Patriots spent Monday mimicking the Vikings' defense ahead of the joint practices. Flores spent 14 years with the Patriots, working his way up from a scouting assistant to linebackers coach and defensive playcaller in Super Bowl LIII. He wouldn't blink at an opportunity for his unit to cause disaster for his former team. Follow Patriots Wire on Twitter and Facebook.
Yahoo
09-08-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Patriots 2025 free agent signing is an unexpected cut candidate heading into preseason opener
The New England Patriots will kick off the 2025 preseason at home versus the Washington Commanders on Friday. Mike Vrabel's new-look squad also had a joint practice with Washington in preparation for Friday night's contest. There are a ton of storylines to look out for during New England's first preseason game, including the center position. Garrett Bradbury has taken most of the first-team reps at the position in camp, but Ben Brown is giving him some serious competition. Bradbury signed a two-year deal worth up to $12 million with New England this offseason after getting cut by the Minnesota Vikings. The former first-round pick was expected to be a solid replacement for David Andrews, who retired after being released by the Patriots in March. However, Bradbury has been underwhelming in camp, and his spot on the roster isn't even secure. After an uninspiring first series as the starting center during Wednesday's joint practice with the Commanders, Bradbury seemed to be benched for Brown on the ensuing drive. 'I don't know if it was planned but C Garrett Bradbury, who had a leg injury last week, was put on 2nd team after a bad first series,' Greg A. Bedard of the Boston Sports Journal said on X. 'Ben Brown was the center for Maye after that.' Additionally, Keagan Stiefel of NESN stated that he wouldn't be shocked at all if Bradbury gets cut due to his lackluster performance in camp. 'I'd be wholly unsurprised if Garrett Bradbury ends up getting cut,' Stiefel said on X. Bradbury's case for a spot on the roster seems to be getting worse and worse by every practice. The veteran must turn in a promising performance against Washington to get back on track. Since entering the league in 2018, Bradbury has started 88 games and has shown flashes of excellence play. However, he hasn't been able to put it all together and is in danger of being back on the free agency market ahead of the 2025 NFL season. Related Headlines Patriots 4th-Round Rookie failing to impress ahead of preseason opener Cowboys Expert Wouldn't Be Surprised if Jerry Jones Took Micah Parsons Offer 'Off the Table' Report: Thunder Could Shop Pair of Major Players Before Next Season's NBA Trade Deadline 4 players to keep a close eye on in Patriots preseason opener vs. Commanders
USA Today
08-08-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Minnesota Vikings land familiar face on offense in PFF's 2019 NFL re-draft
The Minnesota Vikings entered the 2019 NFL Draft looking for a long-term solution on their interior offensive line. They selected center Garrett Bradbury out of North Carolina State with the 18th overall pick. Although he was a starter each season, the results were mixed. Only once did he post a PFF pass grade over 60.0, as he was credited with allowing 164 pressures. He was a better run-blocker, grading out with at least a 61.9 grade every year but never higher than 72.4. So, who would the Vikings select if they could do the draft all over again? PFF did a 2019 re-draft, and although the Vikings didn't pick Bradbury, they still selected a future Viking. Minnesota takes T.J. Hockenson in the re-draft, ten picks later than his original draft position with the Detroit Lions. Hockenson now resides in Minnesota after being traded by the Lions in 2022, but the Vikings likely would've been satisfied with him as a more immediate successor to Kyle Rudolph. Over the past five seasons, Hockenson ranks sixth among tight ends in PFF WAR and seventh in PFF receiving grade among players with at least 100 targets. Selecting Hockenson would have eliminated the need to draft Irv Smith, Jr. in the second round. Smith caught 91 passes for 858 yards and nine touchdowns in 37 games in Minnesota. Hockenson has 196 receptions for 1,934 yards and eight touchdowns in 35 games with the Vikings.
Forbes
11-04-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
Garrett Bradbury Sees Opportunity To ‘Reinvent' Himself With Patriots
After being selected in the first round of the 2019 NFL draft, center Garrett Bradbury went on to ... More start 88 games for the Minnesota Vikings. (Photo by) Garrett Bradbury started every game he appeared in for the organization that drafted him. But after 88, the veteran center found himself released by the Minnesota Vikings with the post-June 1 designation. No trade materialized. But a new opportunity has since then. The New England Patriots agreed to terms with Bradbury on a two-year, $9.5 million contract a day after he officially became an unrestricted free agent last month. 'I had six great years in Minnesota. It's a great locker room. Built some really good connections there,' Bradbury told reporters during his introductory press conference at Gillette Stadium on Thursday. 'And it ended, right? That's the business. You never want to feel comfortable, but that's a wake-up call. That's, 'All right, here we go, that's how they feel, they move on.'' Bradbury, 29, stands 5,756 offensive snaps into a career that got underway in the first round of the 2019 NFL draft. The former Rimington Trophy winner and consensus All-American out of North Carolina State got the call at pick No. 18 overall. He signed a three-year contract extension during his tenure in the NFC North, but no guaranteed money remained for 2025. And after the addition of longtime Indianapolis Colts center Ryan Kelly, the writing was on the wall for the incumbent. 'There's no ill will. I'm not bitter towards the Vikings,' said Bradbury, who handled 100% of the downs for the offensive line in 2024. 'It's just a new opportunity for me. I feel like when there's a change, if you don't take that opportunity, you're not going to grow from it. And so, it's more about I get to reinvent myself, I get to re-prove myself. The minute you think you have it figured out, you're gone.' Bradbury allowed 37 total quarterback pressures last campaign, according to Pro Football Focus, including four sacks and six hits. But the athletic, 6-foot-3, 300-pound pivot continued to reside among the league's better run-blockers at the position with a grade of 70.7. His new deal brings $3.8 million fully guaranteed. Cap charges of $4.6 million for 2025 and $5 million for 2026 are ahead, per Among other things. 'And so, new team, new chapter, new offense – what can I bring? And you got to bring it every day,' added Bradbury. 'It's the biggest thing I've learned. That every single day, you have to bring it – meeting room, practice, weight room. So not even a wake-up call, but it's just new. It's exciting, a fresh start, a new opportunity.' In Foxborough, Bradbury slots into the middle of things for new head coach Mike Vrabel and offensive line coach Doug Marrone. And for 22-year-old starting quarterback Drake Maye, who was sacked 34 times as a rookie on the way to becoming a Pro Bowl alternate. 'I love Drake so far,' Bradbury said. 'It's kind of a weird family connection. My brother-in-law is a baseball player and played with his brother, Cole, at Florida and they're best friends. So when I was going through the free agency process, they were all like, 'New England, New England, New England.'' But similar to the transaction that set up Bradbury's Minnesota exit, there was the one that set up his New England entrance. The Patriots released eight-time captain David Andrews in March, ending a run that kicked off as an undrafted rookie in 2015 and went on to span 121 starts as well as Super Bowl LI and LIII rings. Those are now franchise All-Decade shoes to fill on a center depth chart that also moves forward with the likes of Ben Brown and Cole Strange in the mix. 'I've heard nothing but good things from guys that've played with him, guys that know him,' Bradbury said of Andrews. 'I have a lot of respect for him. He played a long time in this league, at the same place, in the same city. I've heard the stuff he's done outside in the community. I think his play speaks for itself. When you're the guy at one position in one city for ten years, you tip your cap to him.'
USA Today
19-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
OL Garrett Bradbury's old highlight goes viral after Patriots signing
OL Garrett Bradbury's old highlight goes viral after Patriots signing Garrett Bradbury still has one of the most athletic plays I've ever seen on a Football Field — Coach Dan Casey (@CoachDanCasey) March 18, 2025 The play that might go down as the greatest moment in center Garrett Bradbury's six-year run with the Minnesota Vikings is going viral, again, after he agreed to a two-year deal with the New England Patriots. Bradbury is expected to take over the role left by longtime captain David Andrews, who was released by the Patriots last week. That has left fans scouring the internet for any information or video clips they can find of the former first-round draft pick out of North Carolina State. Most have come across the 2022 NFC North divisional game between the Vikings and Green Bay Packers. Former Vikings quarterback Sean Mannion delivered a pass to tight end Tyler Conklin, who was immediately blasted by a defender over the middle of the field. The ball popped up on contact, and Bradbury made the heads-up play of running to the ball, catching it and running it for 21 yards. It was one of the most athletic plays you will ever see from an NFL center. Bradbury's deal with the Patriots is reportedly worth $12 million with $3.8 million in guaranteed money. They desperately needed a proven starter at center, and they signed a veteran with 88 career NFL starts under his belt. It's a great move for a Patriots team looking to rebuild their wall in the offensive trenches.
