Back-up for Bridgewater?

Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater went down during practice on August 30 with a non-contact injury. Many feared the worst for the former first-rounder. And the worst happened. Bridgewater's 2016 season has come to an end due to a completely torn ACL and a dislocated knee.

With one week left before the beginning of the season, this leaves many questions for Minnesota. Mainly, who will be the signal caller?

The only quarterbacks on the roster are Shaun Hill, Joel Stave, and Taylor Heinicke. Hill is entering his 15th season. He played for four different NFC teams and has never started a full season. The closest he came was in 2010 with the Lions, playing 11 games and tossing 2,686 yards. Stave and Heinicke have never thrown a true pass in the NFL.

The Vikings will likely be looking to make a trade for a new starting quarterback. They could go with a flashy signing of Mark Sanchez or Colin Kaepernick. Minnesota could also go quiet and grab a low key backup like A.J. McCarron or Aaron Murray. Here are my top five viable backups for the Vikings to trade for before the opening of the 2016 season.

1. Mark Sanchez

This guy comes with the least baggage and most experience. This Vikings team looks very similar to the 2009-10 New York Jets Sanchez took to the AFC Championship twice. While he has his blooper reel , Sanchez provides experience in highly competitive play. With a team on the brink of a Super Bowl trip, the Vikings organization should go after Sanchez above everyone else.

They have already contacted the Broncos about trading for Sanchez. We will see what comes of it.

2. A.J. McCarron

McCarron enters his third season backing up the Red Rifle Andy Dalton in Cincinnati. When Dalton went down in week 14, McCarron stepped up and finished the season 2-1. The one loss was against the Broncos. He took Denver to overtime and hung 200 yards and a touchdown on the top defense in the league. McCarron still has the Saban way about him from his days with Alabama. Give him a top running back like Peterson and decent receivers in Diggs and Treadwell and Minnesota has a chance to head back to the post season.

3. Mike Glennon

Glennon has never proven himself as a starter because he has never been given a fair shake at it. He was drafted in 2013 out of NC State and has played off and on again for the team. His first shot was his rookie season after the Bucs parted ways with Josh Freeman. Glennon started 12 games in Tampa in 2013, winning four of them. He was brushed aside in 2014 for the newly acquired Josh McCown. He won one of the two games that season.

Now, Glennon backs up first-overall pick Jameis Winston. The Bucs could deal Glennon at any time. He has a decent skill set, but lacks the highlight reel to showoff.

4. Matt Schaub

Like Sanchez, Matt Schaub has shown people he has the ability to be a great quarterback. The problem is that he is older. Schaub is currently on his fourth team in as many years. After his release from the Texans in early 2014, he sat behind Derek Carr in Oakland. He played two games in Baltimore in 2015 to replace an injured Joe Flacco, winning one of them. He now resides with his original team in Atlanta.

Schaub brings experience and reliability to the quarterback position. He also can mentor the younger two QBs for future playing opportunities (if they make the roster).

5. E.J. Manuel

Manuel may not be someone people would think of to be a replacement. He hasn't been great in the NFL, but has he really been given a fair shot? In his first two seasons with the Bills, Manuel went 7-8 when he had next to nobody on the team. He had an aging Stevie Johnson in his first season and only played five games his sophomore season with rookie Sammy Watkins. He has a very similar skill set to Bridgewater and would adapt easily.

Give Manuel a solid run game to work with for once and a pair of up-and-coming receivers, he may just surprise people.