Bridgewater (knee) is expected to pass his physical Monday and resume practicing next week, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Bridgewater required multi-ligament reconstruction after dislocating his left ankle in an August 2016 training-camp practice, but after an arduous rehab, it appears the Vikings' former starting quarterback is nearing the finish line of his lengthy recovery process. He'll meet with Dallas-based physician Dr. Dan Cooper for a checkup Monday, but if all goes as expected, Bridgewater should practice in some capacity during the upcoming week. Once Bridgewater's practice clock starts, the Vikings will have 21 days to assess his health and determine whether to move him from the Physically Unable to Perform list to the 53-man roster or to injured reserve, which would spell an end to his season. Sam Bradford performed admirably while serving as the fill-in starter for all but one game of the 2016 campaign, but now that he's battling knee complications of his own that have resulted in him being ruled out for four games in 2017, Bridgewater's potential return could loom large for the Vikings. Bridgewater has reportedly looked good while throwing and doing other football-related activities during his rehab, but his return to the practice field will hold more weight as the Vikings look to determine if he's ready to play in games again for the first time since the 2015 season.