Viktor
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- Mar 19, 2019
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2019 Recap
Stat line: 16 games played (16 starts), 989 offensive snaps, 8 penalties, 4 sacks allowed
After the Vikings tabbed him as their first-round draft pick in 2019, Bradbury stepped in as the team's center and never looked back.
He started all 16 regular-season games and both playoff contests as a rookie, experiencing the ups and downs one might expect from a first-year player. Analytics site Pro Football Focus gave Bradbury a 41.4 grade in pass blocking and 60.7 in run blocking.
Despite a lower grade in the passing game, he is credited with allowing just four sacks throughout the season, which according to PFF was tied for second-best among centers. Bradbury's eight committed penalties, including being flagged five times for holding, tied for fourth-fewest among centers.
Measuring in at 6-3 and 305 pounds, Bradbury fit the mold of quick, athletic offensive linemen that Minnesota looks for. He proved his ability to get to the second level and advance to block defenders in the flat when necessary. Against defensive lines defined by their brute strength, the rookie was sometimes out-muscled.
Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer spoke with media members earlier this offseason and was asked where Bradbury can take a step forward.
"I think Garrett had a heck of a year. He played a lot of plays, played a lot of games, made a lot of the right calls," Zimmer said. "I would say just continuing his development. Early in the year he had some holding penalties that he needed to clean up with some of his hands, so partly that. Part of it would be pass protection."
Bradbury also spoke with reporters this spring and said he'd had a chance to reflect back on Year 1 and self-scout.
"In terms of improvement, consistency is kind of the biggest thing for me," Bradbury said. "It's such a long season, so you watch a few stretches where you have a good game, then you don't have such a good game.
"Something I pride myself in is the ability to get better, whether it's year-to-year, or game-to-game," he added. "My goal this offseason, and for this coming season, is just to be better in Year 2 and make the improvements that I want to."