Category: Teddy Bridgewater

Bears in contract talks with Saints backup Teddy Bridgewater

The Chicago Bears are interested in signing New Orleans backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater to take the reins from Mitchell Trubisky.

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The most logical team fit for New Orleans Saints backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater has emerged: the Chicago Bears. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reported Monday that the Bears were in negotiations with Bridgewater on a potential free agent contract that would usurp Mitchell Trubisky as the starting quarterback in Chicago. An offense loaded with pass-catching talent like Allen Robinson, Anthony Miller, and Tarik Cohen could really use an upgrade under center.

Florio also suggested an average salary in the neighborhood of $21 million per year for Bridgewater, which would easily recoup the third-round draft pick the Saints swapped for him back in 2018 (if they qualify for a compensatory pick in next year’s draft).

Bridgewater is reportedly keeping all options on the table as he considered his next step, including a possible return to New Orleans for another year backing up Drew Brees. He ended up starting five games in that role last season, winning all of them, and having one of his best performance against the Bears at Soldier Field in a 36-25 victory. Intriguingly, the Saints are scheduled for another road trip to Chicago in the 2020 season, meaning Brees and his protege could end up squaring off — should the Bears pull off this move.

If the Bears do end up signing Bridgewater, it would demote Trubisky to the backup role — coincidentally putting Chase Daniel, longtime Saints clipboard-holder, on the free agent market. Daniel was one of several quarterbacks we suggested as a possible short-term Bridgewater replacement, so this domino falling could send ripples throughout the NFL (and back to New Orleans).

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Report: Teddy Bridgewater could re-sign with the Saints for 2020 season

New Orleans Saints backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is a pending free agent, but he is not ruling out a contract extension with his team

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With NFL free agency set to kick off during the start of Monday’s legal tampering period, it’s felt like a safe bet that New Orleans Saints backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater would leave for a new team. Bridgewater impressed in his five starts during the 2019 season in relief of the injured Drew Brees, winning every game he started and protecting the football well.

So far, common thought has been that Bridgewater will be rewarded with an opportunity to become the face of another franchise, with Brees expected to return in 2020. But ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that Bridgewater is not ruling out any options, including a reunion with the Saints. Even if doing that would mean a significant drop in salary based off the going rate for starting quarterbacks; Ryan Tannehill just signed an extension averaging $29.5 million per year with the Tennessee Titans.

If there is a scarcity of offers, however, a return to the Saints would make plenty of sense for Bridgewater. He has shown he can win within the structure of the Saints offense, and would be a more-proven and younger heir-apparent for Brees than the soon-to-be 30 Taysom Hill.

So if teams like the Chicago Bears are determined to go down with a sinking ship like Mitchell Trubisky, the best move for Bridgewater would be another year as the backup in New Orleans. Bridgewater has made it clear that he wants to start in the NFL, not be a band-aid for a tanking team or a lame duck waiting to be displaced by a rookie.

With the legal tampering period — when Bridgewater and every other free agent can entertain offers from other teams — just hours away, keep a close eye on this space for further developments.

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PFF suggests the Panthers as a landing spot for free agent QB Teddy Bridgewater

Pro Football Focus suggested the Carolina Panthers as a logical landing spot for free agent Saints quarterback Teddy Bridgewater.

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Where will Teddy Bridgewater next play football? The New Orleans Saints backup won all five of his starts in 2019 and set himself up to draw heavy interest in free agency, though it’s unlikely he’ll earn anything close to what the top quarterbacks draw in annual salary.

Bridgewater has spoken at length about how important it is that he land with a new team that offers stability and a winning culture in addition to the pay raise. So that makes the decision to pair him with the Carolina Panthers by Pro Football Focus more than a little puzzling. The least-confusing aspect being that Cam Newton is still the projected starter under first-year coach Matt Rhule.

In this post, Bridgewater is projected to leave the Saints for an NFC South rival on a meager bump in salary, drawing just $9 million per year on a two-year contract, with only the first year guaranteed. In the writeup explaining this pairing, PFF’s Anthony Treash acknowledges that Bridgewater’s addition would serve as a band-aid until the Panthers can select a rookie quarterback in 2021:

With Drew Brees returning, Teddy Bridgewater is leaving, and the reports are that multiple teams are interested in his services as a bridge quarterback. Carolina would be among these teams. While they should consider tanking 2020 for Trevor Lawrence in the 2021 NFL Draft, they’ll probably not want to make it known they are holding out hope for Lawrence or Justin Fields in the next draft and use a safe quarterback such as Teddy Bridgewater instead. Bridgewater didn’t perform terribly for an injured Brees earlier this season, producing the NFL’s fifth-highest grade when starting from Weeks 3-7.

It’s tough to see Bridgewater accepting that. Between the low-ball offer, non-guaranteed starting gig, and shaky situation (with an implied tank in 2020 for a rookie passer the next year), why would Bridgewater throw his career away? He proved he can win in the NFL with the Saints last year and deserves the opportunity to become the face of a franchise. If these are the kind of unappealing offers he’ll get in free agency, Bridgewater may as well stick around another year in New Orleans. He’s just 27, and can afford to wait for Brees to move on before taking the reins of a stacked roster and a steady organization.

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Could Teddy Bridgewater command $30 million per year in free agency?

New Orleans Saints quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is headed for a busy free agent market, but his contract demands are under serious doubt.

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Just how much is New Orleans Saints backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater going to reel in during free agency? ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler fired up that conversation on Monday during an appearance on NFL Live, making the popular observation that Bridgewater expects to enjoy a busy free agent market and consider offers from multiple teams, both as a starter and potential bridge until a rookie is ready to take the reins. None of that is really surprising.

However, Fowler raised eyebrows by suggesting Bridgewater might draw as much as $30 million per year on his next contract. And that seems more than a little outlandish. While it’s true that quarterback salaries are on the rise, the only passers bringing in $30 million or more annually are established, veteran quarterbacks tied closely to an entrenched coaching regime. Here are the players at the top of the list:

  • Russell Wilson ($35 million)
  • Ben Roethlisberger ($34 million)
  • Jared Goff and Aaron Rodgers ($33.5 million each)
  • Carson Wentz ($32 million)
  • Matt Ryan ($30 million)

Nobody with Bridgewater’s credentials as a backup getting promoted to the top spot comes close, though Jacoby Brissett and Jimmy Garoppolo each earned more than $27 million last season. And there surely aren’t many teams eager to pay up $30 million for a bridge quarterback they plan to discard in a year or two. Designed obsolescence isn’t really the NFL’s forte.

So we’ll write this off as idle offseason chatter, the sort of talk that’s informed by agents trying to pressure suitors into paying up highly for their clients through the media. We wrote about the similarities between Bridgewater, Brissett, Garoppolo, and Nick Foles back in October 2019, suggesting an upgraded salary in the range of $22 to $27 million for the Saints backup once he gets a starting nod. That feels much more realistic, especially considering that Drew Brees played on a $25 million salary last year. If he won’t be getting better than that, it’s difficult to buy into the idea that Bridgewater will.

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Teddy Bridgewater writes open letter to young athletes: ‘I was once in your shoes’

New Orleans Saints quarterback Teddy Bridgewater wrote an inspiring open letter to young athletes, musing on their shared experiences.

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New Orleans Saints quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is grateful to be where he is today, standing on his own two feet. His career could have ended on the Minnesota Vikings practice field, when he suffered a non-contact knee injury so severe that it nearly required amputation. While he did bounce back from it, that injury set his career back by years, and it’s made him introspective.

Bridgewater recently published an open letter to young athletes over his official social media accounts, initially writing it on Facebook before sharing it through Twitter and Instagram. In his message to those who look up to him (such as the children in his old Miami neighborhood), Bridgewater mused about the challenges he experienced and shares with them having grown up in an underprivileged community.

“To the young boy who woke up this morning and hand to prepare yourself for the harsh realities of this world on your own because your mama job schedule is hectic,” Bridgewater began, listing the difficulties he and others like him have faced growing up in single-parent, low-income households. He also identified personal struggles like speech impediments and lauded the sense of accomplishment he felt during football practice as a youngster. Read it for yourself:

It’s easy to see why Bridgewater has become such a popular figure within the Saints locker room, and why he’s so highly-regarded around the NFL. The list of players easier to root for in this league is very brief, with few having risen from such humble backgrounds and overcome such adversity. It’ll be fascinating to see where Bridgewater goes next in his career, but he’ll always be welcome in New Orleans.

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Teddy Bridgewater reflects on his relationship with South Florida football

New Orleans Saints QB Teddy Bridgewater spoke about his relationship with high school football in Liberty City, his old Miami neighborhood.

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The love that New Orleans Saints quarterback Teddy Bridgewater has for his old hometown is almost famous. He’s a big advocate for high school football, often returning for games when the schedule allows. He discussed his affinity for Liberty City — the Miami neighborhood he hails from, along with other NFL stars like Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson and Indianapolis Colts wideout T.Y. Hilton, whose father is a legendary coach in the community — with Mina Kimes on the ESPN Daily podcast. Liberty City is a hotbed of football talent and recruiting, often playing host to big-time college recruiters like Alabama coach Nick Saban.

“I come back every chance I get,” Bridgewater said. “Every chance I get. With the schedule that we had in New Orleans, I was able to come home on Sundays after games, and just ride through the community and let them see me like, ‘This guy was playing football on Sunday and he’s back here the Monday after that, visiting high schools and things like that.'”

While some of Bridgewater’s antics have leaned closer to goofiness, like his temporary stint on his high school’s dance team, Bridgewater has also done what he can to support the community with school supplies giveaways and footing the dinner bill for the football team — players, coaches, and support staff included. From his perspective, these actions do a lot to bridge the gap between the current and future generations of Liberty City talent.

Bridgewater continued, “I just want to show everyone that I’m just like them still. I still get the same 24 hours you get, and I still bleed just the way you do. So I try to let them know that I’m still the same guy. That’s why I come back, because in those same neighborhoods there’s the next Teddy Bridgewater, there’s the next Amari Cooper, and the next Duke Johnson. And they need to see us in the flesh. And as long as they’re able to see that we’re able to be touched, we’re within arm’s reach, it makes a difference in our lives, and it makes a difference in their lives.”

These words and actions make Bridgewater’s character easy to measure. His skills on the football field, having gone 5-0 as a starter with the Saints in 2019, speaks for itself. Hopefully the Saints can work out a contract extension with the pending free agent, but it won’t be easy.

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Teddy Bridgewater taking measured approach in another shot at free agency

New Orleans Saints backup Teddy Bridgewater is again headed for free agency, and says he’ll be making decisions with his head, not his heart

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Everyone is hitting up “Radio Row” in Miami ahead of Super Bowl LIV, with Alvin Kamara discussing his contract status and New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton appearing on the NFL Network set on Thursday. Another familiar face was backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, who spoke with SiriusXM NFL Radio on Wednesday.

Bridgewater acknowledged that he’s enjoyed his time in New Orleans, but he can’t afford to let his personal feelings cloud his judgment when it comes to deciding his financial future. While he did choose to return to the Saints as one of the league’s top-paid backups last summer, he should have a stronger market in free agency this year after winning all five of his starts in 2019.

“Last year everyone said I turned down ‘X’ amount of dollars to go back to New Orleans. Honestly, for me, I’m a businessman but I’m a smart businessman,” Bridgewater said. “I don’t make decisions with my heart, I use my brain to think things through. Last year I made the decision to return to New Orleans and it worked out for the better for me. This year, it’s one of those deals where like I said it’ll be the same thing. I don’t try to make any decision of the impulse of my heart. I think things through and go from there.”

Bridgewater’s decision to return last year made sense because it suggested he was the heir-apparent to Drew Brees. But he should get real starting-caliber opportunities and the pay raise that comes with them after his recent success. It’s going to be difficult for the Saints to retain both of them (as well as third-stringer Taysom Hill), and it all sets up a fascinating offseason for New Orleans.

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Teddy Bridgewater fires back at Rex Ryan, moves on from 2019 with epic highlight reel

New Orleans Saints backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater put the 2019 season behind him with an epic highlight reel chronicling his top plays

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We’re on to 2020. That’s the message New Orleans Saints quarterback Teddy Bridgewater shared on Wednesday, along with an impressive cut-up of his best plays during the five-game stretch he started last season. The Saints were in a tight spot and had to lean hard on the backup, and he responded well by going undefeated in his time as the starting quarterback.

Not everyone was in on his chances to succeed. Bridgewater took a shot at former New York Jets and Buffalo Bills head coach Rex Ryan in the same video, including a brief clip of Ryan appearing in an ESPN segment and emphatically writing him off.

When asked whether Bridgewater or Taysom Hill should step up during Drew Brees’ absence with a hand injury, Ryan said, “It better not be Bridgewater but I think it will be, and if it is, they’re not gonna win. I don’t like Teddy Bridgewater and I don’t think he can play.” The clown emoji edited onto Ryan’s face after that ill-advised hot take is just icing on the cake.

You can see Bridgewater’s new highlight tape where it’s embedded below, or at this link. Hopefully this isn’t his way of saying goodbye. His contract expires in March, but if the Saints are smart, they’ll find a way to renew it.

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Watch: Saints quarterback Teddy Bridgewater bikes into the Superdome

New Orleans Saints QB Teddy Bridgewater rode his bike into the Superdome before his team’s wild-card round game with the Minnesota Vikings.

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It’s almost time for the New Orleans Saints to kick off against the Minnesota Vikings in the wild-card round. Players are warmed up and ready, coaches have made their plans, and fans are eager to light up the Superdome.

Players often roll into the stadium dressed up in their finest suits, ready to stunt for the cameras. But Saints backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater took a different route. Bridgewater literally rolled into the Superdome on his bicycle, having biked over from his home in the Warehouse District. He’s enjoyed these casual entrances for Saints home games, sometimes even sharing the sideline with high school teams when the opportunity is there. Sometimes, fans join him on the trek to the Superdome. It’s all very wholesome.

It’s great to see that Bridgewater and New Orleans have embraced each other so well; his undefeated streak as the Saints’ starting quarterback has to have helped, but Bridgewater’s easygoing optimism and the welcoming hospitality of Saints fans is a perfect match. You can watch Bridgewater roll into the Superdome in the video embedded below, or at this link:

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Sean Payton on Teddy Bridgewater’s handling of ‘pivotal point’ in 2019 season

New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton credited Teddy Bridgewater for stepping into the lineup and winning five games with Drew Brees injured.

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The New Orleans Saints were in rough shape early in the 2019 season. Drew Brees, the starting quarterback and face of the franchise, was going to miss a month after injuring his throwing hand. Teddy Bridgewater turned in an ugly performance after getting rushed into a road game against Aaron Donald and the Los Angeles Rams defense. There was reason to suspect the season was going to be a disaster.

Instead, Bridgewater did all that was asked of him, and won all five of his starts during Brees’ absence. Saints coach Sean Payton was a believer in Bridgewater all along, but he was still impressed with how the backup and the team around him responded to life without Brees.

“It’s a whole different type of year and I just think he was part of that,” Payton said during his Thursday media availability, “and I think that was kind of a pivotal point for our team to figure out, ‘Hey, how can we handle this adversity?’ And not one person was going to just become Drew Brees, but everyone had to pick up the specifics and we had to find a way to win each one of those weeks.”

Bridgewater performed like a starting quarterback should in the NFL, and by the time Payton took the training wheels off, Bridgewater was downright dominating. Including his first appearance against the Rams, Bridgewater’s first three games saw him complete 59 of 87 passes (67.8%) to gain 535 yards, scoring just two touchdowns against one interception. He averaged just 6.1 yards per pass attempt.

However, Bridgewater rose to a higher level in the following three weeks. He went 73-of-108 for a similar completion percentage (67.6%), but gained 835 yards through the air. He scored seven touchdowns and threw just one interception, and his yards per pass attempt rate climbed to 7.7 And Payton took notice.

Payton continued, “I think directly towards Teddy, he was prepared, ready for the opportunity. It has been a while and yet what I mean for him, it’s him getting back on the horse here in the regular season. And all of a sudden winning, getting better, winning again, winning again and each week his confidence (increased), I just think it was an important part of what became a 13-win season and the importance of having a number-two (quarterback) that can do that.”

The future is murky for Bridgewater. He and Brees are both going to be unrestricted free agents in the spring, and the success lesser quarterbacks have had in free agency suggests he could be due for a huge payday. If Nick Foles can parlay a hot three-game playoffs run into $88 million with the Jacksonville Jaguars, why can’t Bridgewater spin his five-game winning streak into his own big-money contract?

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