The Bucs And Teddy Bridgewater
March 15th, 2023
The Bucs want a free agent veteran quarterback or two and free agent Teddy Bridgewater could fit the mold of what Tampa Bay is seeking on several fronts.
First, Bridgewater played for Todd Bowles in 2018, Bowles’ final season with the Jets. He was signed that March in free agency but was traded to New Orleans after the preseason for a third-round pick. There was strong chatter coming out of 2018 Jets camp that Bridgewater clearly was their best quarterback, but the team rolled with rookie Sam Darnold instead. Bowles was fired after the season.
In 2019, Bridgewater was a perfect 5-0 in five starts filling in for Drew Brees.
In 2020, Bucco Bruce Arians said multiple times that Bridgewater was in the mix to be the Bucs’ starter to replace Jameis Winston after the 2019 season. Instead, some guy named Brady said he’d come to Tampa.
Arians still provides input at One Buc Palace, and whatever the Bucs liked about Bridgewater likely is still there.
In 65 starts, Bridgewater has a winning record and a 66.4 percent career completion rate. Yeah, that’s better than Derek Carr on both fronts.
Also worth mentioning is that Bridgewater made a predraft visit to One Buc Palace and Jason Licht before the Vikings made him the last pick of Round 1 in the 2014 NFL Draft.
Bridgewater, 30, is not an exciting choice for Bucs fans when it comes to competing with Kyle Trask for a starting job. He’s just not that great and has had durability issues at times. But Bucs offensive coordinator Dave Canales said he values accuracy and a quarterback with a point-guard mentality, and Bridgewater certainly can deliver those traits.
Joe thinks (fears?) Bridgewater may have enough upside to get hopes up at One Buc Palace.
March 15th, 2023 at 3:52 am
anything but teddy…
and that surgically repaired knee from his minny days has got to be a shell of itself rn…
and he always looks so slim, and like he can’t take hits…
teddy post brady just feels like the wrong direction imho
March 15th, 2023 at 4:21 am
He’s got one foot outta the league…another on a banana peel and will likely injure himself in doing so. The Bucs will of course need another quarterback or two…so who knows. The Can Do Canales use of “point guard” at QB is just a silly sports mixed metaphor. Hide your wallet around Can Do Canales…he’s a heck of a salesman and only the 12th choice for Bucs OC.
March 15th, 2023 at 4:39 am
Of all the QB options to compete with Trask, I’d still prefer to get Gabbert back. It’ll all come down to price anyways. Beggars can’t be choosers?
March 15th, 2023 at 4:43 am
Oh, please no. My grandmother passed away in 1981 and I am sure she would do better than Bridgewater.
March 15th, 2023 at 5:26 am
“Best” QB’s still available, according to Walter Football:
7) Jacoby Brissett
9) Gardner Minshew
10) Teddy Bridgewater
12) Cooper Rush
14) Baker Mayfield
16) Marcus Mariota
19) Carson Wentz
20) Joshua Dobbs
21) Matt Ryan
22) Blaine Gabbert
23) Drew Lock
March 15th, 2023 at 5:35 am
Cooper Rush and Mayfield.
March 15th, 2023 at 5:37 am
I might have a little bias, Cooper Rush is from the small town I live in.
March 15th, 2023 at 5:53 am
Bowels will be fired at the end of season …. (he is a Wade Phillips type head coach ) . Bowels at best is a average and on occassion above average defensive coordinator. Thats the story for this season…. wish we could just fast forward the whole thing.
March 15th, 2023 at 6:08 am
BucfaninMi Says:
March 15th, 2023 at 5:37 am
I might have a little bias, Cooper Rush is from the small town I live in.
^^^^^^^^^
Nice! I live in Southwest Michigan.
March 15th, 2023 at 6:25 am
I was hoping it wouldn’t come to this.
March 15th, 2023 at 6:27 am
Please no Teddy!!! the dink and dunk approach would be nap inducing.
Rush/Mayfield/Minshew (2 of the 3) fight it out with Trask, who if he doesn’t make it, he wouldn’t be the first 2nd round QB to bust out, so just move on.
Something tells me Mayfield with a chip on his shoulder, his moxy and Canales wanting to make a splash could be lightning in a bottle.
Rush/Minshew could bring some excitement too. if not, the latter has a cool mustache and RayJay can feature him on the billboards!
March 15th, 2023 at 6:33 am
It will be with further review Blaine “nobody else wants me” Gabbert and Drew ” combination ” Lock.
March 15th, 2023 at 6:55 am
I think I’m gonna throw up!
March 15th, 2023 at 7:18 am
Bridgewater. Trask. Draft Pick. Yawn.
If that’s the QB room, can we just skip 2023 and fast forward to the next discussion of who the Bucs are targeting as a head coach in 2024?
March 15th, 2023 at 7:28 am
Could the Bucs win the NFC South with defense? IF they sign a few key guys and draft a few good ones, maybe.
March 15th, 2023 at 7:41 am
Great sign Bridgewater, then draft Hendon Hooker!
March 15th, 2023 at 7:43 am
Bridgewater is more exciting than Mayfield that’s for sure.
March 15th, 2023 at 7:49 am
I’d take Mariota over Bridgewater
March 15th, 2023 at 7:56 am
Lord , no.
Mayfield , with Gabbert
March 15th, 2023 at 8:01 am
Pinkie Bridgewater? No thanks, a hang nail keeps this guy from playing.
March 15th, 2023 at 8:05 am
Teddy Bridgewater, Buc Quarterback Du Jour
March 15th, 2023 at 8:31 am
Why not Matt Ryan? Great price for him plus he will have more weapons then he ever had.
March 15th, 2023 at 8:48 am
Buc1 . Matt Ryan is washed up the bucs would be fools to bring him in that’s why the Colts let him go.
March 15th, 2023 at 8:48 am
Bridge-over-troubled-water …… ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
March 15th, 2023 at 9:02 am
Great sign Bridgewater then Draft Hendon Hooker!
March 15th, 2023 at 9:03 am
My preference would be Baker M but likely wants too much money. If that’s the case Minshew and or Rush. Was impressed with Rush last season when he played for the injured Dak. I see Licht landing one of those scrubs from that Walter list and then drafting a guy. Hoping the later is Hooker in the 2nd.
March 15th, 2023 at 9:44 am
This whole quarterback discussion is getting boring. Trask is going to be the quarterback. You don’t draft a quarterback in the second round and then never give him a shot. Nobody and I mean nobody knows what this kid can do until he gets out there on the field. Case in point, the San Francisco 49ers with the last pick in the draft. Every GM and every draft expert said he could never really succeed in the NFL. So let’s just cool it. The Buccaneers going to have a much better offensive line and their secondary looks like it could be top five. They have no interest in tanking with five or six Pro Bowl players on the team. Give it a rest.
March 15th, 2023 at 9:48 am
Don’t care what Bowles wants, Licht has to be firmly against trash heap QBs like Teddy B and in favor of the guy he drafted in Trask. It doesn’t matter if Trask is significantly worse, but signing QBs that offer no upside, but are good enough to barely qualify as a starter will hurt this team more than it will help. Teddy B, is extremely gun shy, a checkdown Charlie. He will never ever win you any games. He will lose you many because of his inability to make plays and propensity to get injured after a game or two.
March 15th, 2023 at 9:58 am
Mayfield/Trask/Hooker
….no room for a worn out crumbling bridge
March 15th, 2023 at 10:03 am
Please No, not Teddy Bridgewater or Jacoby Brissett. We know what they are, they are backups. Both have proven this over and over again. The best you can do is 6 -7 wins with either of them. If either of them are the option just go with Trask for this year, see what he is capable of & draft a QB in the 4th or 5th round as the backup and if they want a 3rd stringer that is a verteran then sign someone like a Joe Flacco to be a veteran presence in the QB room.
March 15th, 2023 at 10:06 am
Per my 305 source.,,.Carson Wentz. Sorry guys, I’m not happy about it either
March 15th, 2023 at 10:09 am
Bridgewater was a rising rocket…before his knee was destroyed.
March 15th, 2023 at 10:18 am
Gardner Minshew , experienced, started with Jacksonville , and has worked as a backup at Philadelphia last year, young guy, great passer , and laid back team mate , would be a great fit with Kyle Trask, then search the collegiate ranks for a developmental guy with talent and time to learn.
March 15th, 2023 at 10:40 am
I might not watch this season if Teddy 2 Gloves is our QB1. I watched him play a few painfully hard to watch quarters with the Dolphins. He was horrible. No accuracy, no mobility, and he seemed clueless and looked like he didn’t want to be there. That said, I’ll take him if it means we win 3 games and Bowels gets canned. Otherwise we’re sailing into a sea of mediocrity for the next 5 years
March 15th, 2023 at 11:07 am
OH BROTHER!… talking about bottom of the barrel…
I’d rather see the Bucs give Minshew or Cooper Rush a shot…. At least they have been more durable…
March 15th, 2023 at 11:43 am
We just need to roll with what we have and if it doesn’t work out, we get a top pick in next year’s QB-rich draft.
March 15th, 2023 at 12:18 pm
They are looking for a bargain basement salary on a “prove it” deal. Any decent vet QB is going to want $10 mil or more. And the Bucs don’t want to pay that.
Yeesh. This is going be a really bad year.
March 15th, 2023 at 12:23 pm
BucfaninMi Says:
March 15th, 2023 at 5:37 am
I might have a little bias, Cooper Rush is from the small town I live in.
^^^^^^^^^
Nice! I live in Southwest Michigan.
^^^^^^^^^
I live in Louisville and got to watch Teddy play his college years here for my Cards!
March 15th, 2023 at 12:28 pm
Have you noticed, quite a few of the NFl’s backups have already signed. Some for 6 to 10 million? Which leads me to believe our Bucs are gonna be pushed into the last minute corner and overpay a QB who is not worth it. Unless of course Licht just says, Screw it, I’m gonna Blow It up and go all out for Jackson..Ok so I’m trippin…..
March 15th, 2023 at 12:42 pm
Baker Mayfield agree to 1-year deal. Any thoughts on this recent deal. I bet he takes the nfc south at least. Do you guys have enough faith in Trask.
March 15th, 2023 at 1:06 pm
NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO
Every fkn year with this BS.
Teddy sucks and is brittle as a toothpick.
March 15th, 2023 at 1:07 pm
NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO
Every year with this effin nonsense….
Teddy sucks. Brittle as a toothpick. Zero ability to be clutch. I’d take Mayfield over him…
March 15th, 2023 at 1:09 pm
WRONG ITS BAKER
March 15th, 2023 at 3:01 pm
bridgewater has had so many serious concussions that it criminal to give this an nfl uniform for 2023 STOP!!!!!!! he has been out cold laid out on the field at least twice if not more. no! stop panhandling for these useless quarterbacks Get Hendon Hooker in the draft and call it done. Problem solved. Not sure watch everyone of 2022 Hooker games and get on board.
March 15th, 2023 at 3:23 pm
Will be an interesting QB competition, if decision has not been made already.
March 15th, 2023 at 8:33 pm
firethecannons- college quarterback are such a gamble and most don’t make it vary far. Hendon Hooker Is talented in college, but the NFL is more competitive and players are equally talented so I doubt he do as well as you think.
March 15th, 2023 at 10:01 pm
Why this? The GOAT then this really? Draft a rookie play Trask or Gabbert do not go with these clowns…. I’m sick
March 15th, 2023 at 10:16 pm
LOL…. Joe you still love Teddy… cracks me up.
Please continue this angle for tye next 10 years. Cracks me up every time I see the headline now.
March 16th, 2023 at 10:46 am
I don’t think Joe understands that The next Patrick Mahomes isn’t in high-school yet. I have been around football for 50 plus years and the NFL as a whole has repeatedly tried to find these unicorns (running quarterbacks). Almost always ends with these poor guys finding out that those linebackers etc are way faster than they thought and they are gonna hit them way harder than they thought They find out that in order to survive they had better become passers. Very few have succeeded in that endeavor.
March 18th, 2023 at 3:09 pm
Teddy Bridgewater would have been way better than Baker Mayfield any day