Less than a week ago, the Carolina Panthers acquired quarterback Sam Darnold from the New York Jets in exchange for three draft picks. The general belief is that the Panthers feel like they can turn Darnold’s career around and make him the quarterback of the future. But where does that leave Teddy Bridgewater?
After all, Bridgewater is only entering the second year of his three-year, $63 million contract that he signed with the Panthers in 2020. Regardless of who the quarterback is, you don’t necessarily want to spend that much money on a backup.
With that being said, Bridgewater wasn’t awful in 2020. He recorded 3,733 passing yards and threw 15 touchdowns to 11 interceptions. He also added 279 rushing yards and 5 touchdowns on the ground.
Once Darnold was acquired, people began speculating where Teddy Bridgewater may start the 2021 NFL Season. Would the Panthers keep him in case the Darnold experience failed? Or would they try trading him elsewhere now that they have their guy?
According to Bovada, the most likely scenario is that Bridgewater remains with the Panthers to start the new NFL season. The odds of that happening are +150.
Where Will Teddy Bridgewater Play to Start the 2021 NFL Season?
Odds via Bovada as of Friday, April 9
- Carolina Panthers +150
- Denver Broncos +325
- Houston Texans +450
- Pittsburgh Steelers +600
- Chicago Bears +800
- Las Vegas Raiders +800
- Atlanta Falcons +800
- Miami Dolphins +800
Will Teddy Bridgewater Be a Bronco?
It’s no secret that the Denver Broncos would like to improve their quarterback position before the 2021 NFL Season begins. After all, Drew Lock didn’t do much to impress the organization last season. He appeared in 13 games, throwing 2,933 yards and 16 touchdowns to 15 interceptions. He also only completed 57.3% of his passes, which is extremely disappointing for a starting quarterback.
Naturally, the easiest way for the Broncos to replace Lock would be through the draft. The team has the No. 9 selection, so perhaps they could land a quarterback like Trey Lance or move back for someone like Davis Mills. However, if Teddy Bridgewater is available, why wouldn’t the Broncos (+325) take a swing at him? They have $29.4 million in cap space, according to Spotrac, so they could afford him. Plus they could then use the No. 9 pick to address another positional need and use a later pick on a younger quarterback.
Texans Have Good Odds to Land Bridgewater
At the start of the offseason, the Houston Texans didn’t think they’d have to worry about the quarterback position for several years as long as they had Deshaun Watson. But now Watson is in the middle of a growing pile of sexual assault allegations, leaving his NFL future in jeopardy.
As it stands, Tyrod Taylor is the backup on the Texans’ roster. While he has played a few games in recent years, he hasn’t handled a full starter’s load since he started in 14 games for the Buffalo Bills in 2017. Keeping that in mind, Teddy Bridgewater could help Houston (+450) feel a bit more secure depending on what direction the Watson situation takes.
Steelers’ Odds to Land Teddy Bridgewater
At +600, the Pittsburgh Steelers are the fourth-likeliest option for Teddy Bridgewater to start the 2021 NFL Season with. It seems like an odd fit at first considering the Steelers still have Ben Roethlisberger at the helm and only $12 million in cap space, according to Spotrac.
Earlier in the offseason, there was speculation that Roethlisberger would retire. That didn’t end up being the case, but what if he does after this season? Acquiring Bridgewater would give the Steelers a safety net should they need a new quarterback in 2022 consider he’ll still be under his current contract.
