The quarterback market via free agency is set to be the deepest that it is has been in recent years.
With the Chargers uncertain at the position, given the fact that Philip Rivers’ future with the team remains to be seen, they could very well elect to go fishing in the pool to find a signal-caller.
Should they go this route, Bleacher Report’s Chris Roling believes that soon-to-be free agent Teddy Bridgewater and Los Angeles would be an ideal pairing.
If the Los Angeles Chargers don’t stick with Philip Rivers after his dip in play this past season, picking sixth in the 2020 draft might put them on the outside looking in at the top prospects.
Bridgewater might have a hard time saying no here, too, should the Chargers use some of that money earmarked for Rivers in the $56 million available in cap space.
While the Chargers stumbled to just five wins this year in a stunning downturn, Bridgewater would join an offense with a deep stable of running backs, a big-play tight end in Hunter Henry and perhaps most important of all, Keenan Allen, arguably the quietest No. 1 wideout in the league. It doesn’t hurt to point out a defense simmering with elite talent like Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram III.
Keep in mind that if Bridgewater joined up, he’d benefit from the high draft slots and cap space, assets only adding to the wealth of talent around him. There’s a bit of a drawback in terms of fan attachment after the franchise moved, but it might also be hard to complain about playing in a city like Los Angeles, right?
Bridgewater, 27, is going to be a hot commodity if the Saints don’t re-sign him. The former Louisville product filled in for veteran Drew Brees this past season when he was dealing with a thumb injury, showing to be efficient in that role. Bridgewater started five games and led New Orleans to a perfect 5-0 record. In that span, he threw nine touchdowns to just two interceptions.
According to Spotrac, Bridgewater’s projected market value will command a salary of $20 million per season. If the Chargers felt comfortable with throwing him that kind of money, they would be signing him with the belief that he could be the starter for years to come.
The Chargers will be looking at every option possible to fill in the void at the quarterback position, but the more reasonable and cheaper route to go rather than throwing a hefty check at a free agent is drafting a quarterback in the early rounds and letting Tyrod Taylor serve as the bridge – assuming they don’t choose to re-sign Rivers.