Now that we know the Panthers are allowing Cam Newton to seek a trade, the search is on to find his potential replacement.
According to a report by Dianna Russini at ESPN, the team is showing “very strong interest” in free agent quarterback Teddy Bridgewater.
The Carolina Panthers are showing very strong interest in quarterback Teddy Bridgewater per sources. I’m told the conversations have been going very well. #panthers
— Dianna (@diannaESPN) March 17, 2020
Bridgewater has connections with Carolina via offensive coordinator Joe Brady, who worked as an assistant for the Saints from 2017-2018 before heading to LSU last year.
While Bridgewater is not a former MVP like Newton, he is one of the league’s most effective game manager quarterbacks. He rarely makes the kind of mistakes that plagued the Panthers offense last year with Kyle Allen and Will Grier filling in for Newton.
In 44 career games, Bridgewater has completed 65.2% of his passes, totaling 7,652 yards, 38 touchdowns and 25 interceptions.
Bridgewater does have one major injury in his past. He suffered what’s described as a grotesque knee injury in Vikings training camp prior to the 2016 season. He missed all of that year and most of 2017 before he moved on to be Drew Brees’ backup in New Orleans.
For what it’s worth, Bridgewater did an excellent job stepping up in Brees’ place last season when he was out with a hand injury. He went 5-0 starting for the Saints.
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