Jason Licht, Bruce Arians Circling Over Teddy Bridgewater?
April 7th, 2021
Bucs sniffing?
Now this is a very interesting blind item/plant.
As of 1 p.m. on 7 April, 2021, soon-to-be 44-year old Bucs quarterback Tom Brady has no backup (unless you call former “Last Chance U” quarterback and current Bucs reserve wide receiver John Franklin a backup).
Both Bucs backup QBs from last year, Blaine Gabbert and long-time third-stringer Ryan Griffin, are just like furniture-tossing, bicycle-throwing Antonio Brown — knocking on doors and walking sidewalks looking for work as free agents.
Could that be changing?
Heavy metal-headbanging Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports claims every NFC South team that does not play in the Carolinas has been calling the Stinking Panthers inquiring about recently demoted Teddy Bridgewater.
If the best trade offer for quarterback Teddy Bridgewater comes from New Orleans or Atlanta or Tampa, make the trade. Fear of trading within the NFC South shouldn’t be a factor in this pending transaction. There should be conviction in the decision to move on from Bridgewater after just one year, and if the Panthers believe Sam Darnold is an upgrade for the present and the future, and will live up to his initial draft billing, then it really shouldn’t matter where Bridgewater ends up. …
And trust me, there is interest in the NFC South.
Bridgewater, the former Vikings, Jets and slimy Saints quarterback, after his first year as the starting signal-caller got pushed aside when the Stinking Panthers traded for Jets QB Sam Darnold.
You may remember a little over a year ago in free agency, Bucs Super Bowl-winning coach Bucco Bruce Arians seemed smitten with signing Bridgewater. Thankfully, his senses told him to put a full-court press on signing Brady.
Let’s say the Bucs do obtain Bridgewater by trade or signing. It would be Bridgewater’s fifth team in five years. That should tell folks something.
Bridgewater’s contract this year is onerous for any backup. He’s due to pocket $20 million. Not only can the Bucs not afford him (unless Carolina eats most of his contract), Joe believes it is insane to pay a backup on a team gunning for a second-straight Super Bowl win anything more than $3 million.
Paying decent cash to a guy you pray never takes the field once the opening kickoff ends is crazy when you factor in that the same amount of cash could be used on a player you know will play each Sunday, so long as he is healthy.
Joe could see the Bucs signing Bridgewater if he is released by Carolina. But trading for him? No way. If the Bucs do, bye-bye Brown.
April 7th, 2021 at 2:14 pm
I don’t really understand the logic of signing him. But he did play very well when Brees got hurt. Perhaps that’s what the coaching staff is thinking. You would have a very good insurance policy for some games.
April 7th, 2021 at 2:16 pm
As much as we need a back up or two, I think waiting for a young guy like Jake Fromm ro become available woukd be a better option. Bridgewater would be an emergency guy, but not someone you can build a team around in the future.
April 7th, 2021 at 2:23 pm
Where does the money comes out from????
April 7th, 2021 at 2:29 pm
Just draft a guy that can come in and be a solid backup or maybe future starter after Brady leaves.
April 7th, 2021 at 2:34 pm
That is intresting. Youd have to like our QB room with 2 vets at work.
But Im not too keen on Teddy being a longterm guy. Maybe the Bucs see him as a fit for longterm backup? The way I see it when Brady retires in 2030 we might just run into some great lyck and get an upper tier QB hot free agency. Thats how we got Tom. Or maybe you trade for a Russ. Wilson type. No telling who will be avialable in 2030
April 7th, 2021 at 2:39 pm
A good backup is important and we can get another weapon in the draft, a QB is not that easy to find and if Licht and BA like him yeah why not? AB better sign his contract quick we’re movin’ on…
April 7th, 2021 at 2:39 pm
If the kitties release him, I’d offer him the same type of $1M contract Jaymiss received from the Aints last year.
April 7th, 2021 at 2:42 pm
Gabbert, Griffin and a rookie….repeat baby!
April 7th, 2021 at 2:48 pm
No thank you.
Would rather see them draft a future quarterback who can sit and learn from Brady instead of kicking the tires on Bridgewater.
If all they’re interested in is a back up, they should have kept Fritz.
April 7th, 2021 at 2:55 pm
I don’t dislike Teddy but it doesn’t make sense.
I definitely agree that we should draft a QB or like someone said, wait for a Fromm etc.
April 7th, 2021 at 3:16 pm
There is just now way we should trade anything for a backup QB….
Now…would it be nice to have a QB the quality of Bridgewater going a few games if Brady is hurt…..hell yes….
Don’t trade, don’t pay much….
If you’ve got some money lying around…..sign AB.
April 7th, 2021 at 3:19 pm
Sounds like a great plan if he’s willing to rip up his contract and play for 2-3 mil. His base salary is 17 mil in 21 and 20 mil in 22. If we want Teddy Bridgewater after Tom retires, sign or trade for him then.
April 7th, 2021 at 3:20 pm
fake news
April 7th, 2021 at 3:32 pm
I want the worst backup QB in NFL history so the o-line knows that we’re screwed if Tom gets hurt
April 7th, 2021 at 3:33 pm
This is not happening.
April 7th, 2021 at 3:34 pm
cough..cough..cough…the smoke is getting thick !
April 7th, 2021 at 3:40 pm
just wait for Aaron Rodgers to get loose in the next couple years,use who ever as a backup for now.
April 7th, 2021 at 3:55 pm
I guess I was absent the day Griffin became a FA. The dude’s been on this team forever and always performs well in preseason. Why not sign him to a small contract and hope you can grab a good developmental QB in this year’s draft? I wonder if Brady’s assessment of Griffin soured the Bucs on him?
April 7th, 2021 at 4:05 pm
..wow… when is not to much going on, we go crazy… Teddy…future bucs QB??!!😨 ..what are we thinking… from TB12 to Teddy 😲…
Leave Teddy alone…. with $21 &$20 mil…wow $21 mil. That’s almost the same with $ TB12 makes… this world is so UNFAIR
April 7th, 2021 at 4:12 pm
Bridgewater makes zero sense because of the contrast alone.
If we had just activated Josh Rosen when we nabbed him from the fish – we would probably have a pretty good start on a backup
After sitting in the QB room with TB12 for a season we might have had a steal.
I never understood the whole Griffin/Gabby thing.
Neither one was close to being starting material at this stage of their careers, but we may be forced to ride with one of them
Hey at least they know the system
April 7th, 2021 at 4:15 pm
He kept the Saints in the playoff hunt with several games in a row of victories and I believe hes head and shoulders a better fit with the talent we have than Jameis is a starter in N.O. In other words if we had to start Bridgewater against Jameis i love our chances. Cant wait to see what magic Peyton works to get JW to cut down on his christmas gifts to opposing teams.
April 7th, 2021 at 4:25 pm
I believe Ariana’s “No risk it, no biscuit” offence will be too much for him, and he’ll only become another Jameis Winston. Matter of fact he’ll probably overtake Winston’s record for interceptions…🤣
April 7th, 2021 at 4:25 pm
So, No to Bridgewater!!
April 7th, 2021 at 4:37 pm
It’ll never happen. Jay-Miss was given *every* opportunity to improve as a QB while in Tampa. The Buccaneers did everything for him. They brought in weapons, they brought in Arians the Quarterback Whisperer, they brought in Tom Moore and Clyde Christensen. Jay-Miss is who he is and he will never change.
April 7th, 2021 at 4:45 pm
makes total sense…but not financially
April 7th, 2021 at 4:50 pm
I would love to the Saints trade for him. That would be funny.
April 7th, 2021 at 4:52 pm
Carolina may just cut him and eat the cost.
Then he might come cheap.
April 7th, 2021 at 5:04 pm
yeah no way trade for him, but he could be a great pickup from the discount bin if he’s cut
April 7th, 2021 at 5:42 pm
Draft a QB- preferably Kyle Trask
April 7th, 2021 at 5:45 pm
BD Says:
You are a wise forward thinker, BD.
Brady’s no-dead-cap deal goes through 2023. Rodgers becomes a FA in 2024.
Coincidence?
Wanna bet Rodgers will be tired of the Green Bay cold by the end of 2023?
April 7th, 2021 at 5:53 pm
Hmmm, could’ve sworn that I read an article yesterday titled ‘Dodging a Bullet’ that mentioned Teddy Bridgewater in it. So now the two who dodged that bullet are now circling over the same Teddy Bridgewater? Wow, what a difference a day makes.
April 7th, 2021 at 6:05 pm
Gabbert>Griffin>Bridgewater
April 7th, 2021 at 6:12 pm
Taking on a $20m contract for a backup QB? That isn’t happening. It’s embarrassing to even suggest you it is possible.
April 7th, 2021 at 6:23 pm
I’d definitely trade AB for Bridgewater in a heartbeat !
April 7th, 2021 at 6:29 pm
No no no no nope no no NO! That would be so stupid. Just re-sign RG4 and/or Gabbert and let’s move on!
April 7th, 2021 at 6:53 pm
The dead cap hit for the Kitties to cut Bridgewater is 20mil. His cap hit to them this year is 23mil. Neither a trade nor a cut is happening, this is a senseless conversation.
April 7th, 2021 at 6:54 pm
“Joe” said only IF Carolina ate most of his contract .
April 7th, 2021 at 7:35 pm
I just found .03 under my couch. I’m gonna mail that to the Glazers with a forever stamp from the USPS and earmark it for Teddy B.
April 7th, 2021 at 7:36 pm
Bridgewater is better than Gabbert and Griffin guys. But it’s too much $. Just draft a QB. Trask or Mond.
April 7th, 2021 at 7:38 pm
Dont even bother Gabbert is better than this guy.
April 7th, 2021 at 7:40 pm
Joe needs to stop putting this BS on his website.
April 7th, 2021 at 7:59 pm
Sign em when he’s cut. If he’s owed $20 mil no one is trading for him and Car can’t eat that.
April 7th, 2021 at 8:11 pm
No to Teddy.Get a rookie that can learn from Brady
April 7th, 2021 at 8:20 pm
Wait until he is cut. In the meantime focus on getting AB signed.
April 7th, 2021 at 8:30 pm
He’s better than Blaine Gabbert, that’s for sure. But future starter? LOL!
But the Bucs do need a legit backup, and Bridgewater is a good backup.
April 7th, 2021 at 9:27 pm
HARD PASS!
there is a reason he gets passed around.. Bucs don’t need that..
Yes to possible young blood such as Eason or Fromm with drafting a developmental qb…
April 7th, 2021 at 10:00 pm
@Alaska Buc
Gabbert>Griffin>Bridgewater
Leave Griffin out of the equation and i agree. Teddy is a better player than Griffin but it’s debatable whether he is better than Gabbert..if he is it’s marginal.
Again…Gabbert last started games for the Titans. He started just 3 in 2018 with a WINNING record of 2-1. He completed 60% of his passes. He threw 101 passes with 4 TD’s against 4 ints with 37 yards lost to sacks.
Yeah I get it..incredibly mediocre but not sucking out loud. Gabbert’s major problem rep wise is his first impression with Jax. Generally “saviors” go to crappy teams and look horrible. Gabbert’s st0ry is familiar.
I consider both Gabbert and Teddy to be “tweeners”…not good enough to start but slightly better than many backups. Put either of them on a good team and they can certainly act as “caretakers”. Put them on a great team and they can win.
April 7th, 2021 at 10:11 pm
Absolutely no way in hell they should trade for him.
If they trade for him and take on any kind of money over any number of years that tells me they plan on going to him after Brady retires and that would absolutely SUCK!!. Bridgewater is a veteran back up and that’s all he should ever be
Signing him as a back up for a year or two after he’s cut, I am all for.
April 8th, 2021 at 1:20 am
I believe if they cut them they still have to pay him 17 or 18 million so with him getting that you can sign him for 2 million Carolina picks up most of it and he gets his 20 million for the year I could be wrong so don’t Jump all over me guys LOL
April 8th, 2021 at 1:21 am
I totally agree. Unless they release him or eat Bridgewaters contract it would be insane to trade for him. I’d rather we drafted Tom’s backup if that’s the plan.
April 8th, 2021 at 1:25 am
Bridgewater is too expensive. Spend a mid round pick on a qb and bring back one of the dudes from last year.
April 8th, 2021 at 1:29 am
I heard something like that on background noise on the TV maybe that’s what it will cost them in dead cap money
April 8th, 2021 at 2:25 am
Lol yeah I call bull. Saints/Bucs cannot afford his salary, and if the Falcons wanted another QB they’d draft one that’s more talented at four.
Bridgewater is a high end backup, great for a championship roster, but his contract is too expensive for that. I imagine either he forces the Panthers to cut him or he goes to a team like Chicago or Denver where he has a chance to start. I suspect this story is just trying to create trade value
April 8th, 2021 at 5:29 am
Carolina trading for Sam Donald says it all about Teddy. Let him go to the Saints and compete with Jaymiss.
April 8th, 2021 at 8:17 am
i’m having Bruce Gradkowski flash backs thinking about check down teddy running BA’s offense. He worked in the saints scheme because it’s all underneath stuff and short passes. He can’t push the ball down field.
April 8th, 2021 at 10:16 am
Dont want Bridgewater under any circumstances.
Its really Sad, but that poor kid lost alot that day in Minnesota.
Hope he finds a good situation- just not here.
It really is tragic.
April 8th, 2021 at 3:35 pm
Kyle Trask at 32 or gabbert and the Stanford or nd kid in the second or third…