Teddy Bridgewater hasn’t shown the effects of his career-defining 2016 injury during his Jets stay just yet, and the team plans to play him extensively in its preseason opener Friday. While this will help the Jets determine where their free agent acquisition is at physically, it also could double as an audition.
The Jets are open to trading Bridgewater, Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News reports, adding the circumstances need to be right.
For that to be the case, Gang Green will need to see that Sam Darnold is ready to take the reins. New York re-signed Josh McCown and added Bridgewater on the same day in March. The team wants to evaluate its No. 3 overall pick — whom Jets officials have repeatedly praised this offseason — during the preseason before pulling the trigger on a Bridgewater deal, Mehta reports. If Darnold impresses, the Jets are absolutely open to cashing in Bridgewater’s one-year contract in exchange for a draft pick.
However, if the USC-developed passer needs more time, the Jets would not hesitate to start Bridgewater in Week 1 and keep his $6MM salary on the books, per Mehta. Darnold’s been rumored as a viable candidate to open the season as the starter, but Bridgewater obviously has the experience edge and hasn’t shown signs he’s struggling physically.
“I know that’s a question that comes up,” Mike Maccagnan recently said about whether he’d trade one of his veteran QBs. “Any time you have a number of players that you like at a position, it’s a natural thing (to think), ‘Hey, they may have a — I’m not saying we have a surplus … but some teams carry two quarterbacks. (So) you have the ability to potentially (think), ‘Oh, hypothetically we could do that.’
“But our big thing, quite frankly, is to see how all these players develop. We like a lot of things that Teddy’s done this offseason. We obviously know Josh from having him last year and what he brings to the table. But I would say from that standpoint, it’s very early. We kind of want to see how these guys still grow and develop.”
Maccagnan also has said the Jets won’t have an issue carrying all three of these veterans into the regular season. The team has $16MM in cap space.
Well that was fast
Fitzpatrick will do fine. He did better than Winston at some points last year.
The only problem for Fitzpatrick is the fourth & final quarter. That’s when things get interesting.
Why did they get rid of lovie smith in tampa he did a marvelous job and koetter been downright horrible
The defense sucked under Lovie. Which is unusual since his offense sucked big time where ever else he’s been a head coach.
defense sucks under Koetter too
Dirk at least knows offense. Lovies favorite offensive play is the punt. He would do it on first down if he could.
Theyre not going to get a decent HC until Winston retires.
DOLPHINS.
They needed a QB even more than the Bills but balked at trading up in the draft. Now they will pay the price for that. Even when they find a good player like Ajayi they get rid of him…so it’s hard to have any sympathy for this team.
If Tannehill is even close to his pre-injury self, he’s a much more proven and currently reliable option than Nathan Peterman, AJ McCarron, or Josh Allen. Although I will say that I don’t think Tannehill is a franchise QB for any team.
Tannehill is a better option than Jay Cutler too, but behind him all you have is Osweiller and Fales and that’s enough to depress any Dolphin fan.
Without him proving he is the same guy he was prior to the knee injury, he’s barely worth a 7th rounder. Without his legs, he is an average at best throwing qb.
Pats trade for him
The Pats trading for Teddy would be a clear admission that dumping Garoppolo was a mistake. BB doesn’t want any tarnish on that crown he wears.
Not necessarily. It would be to have Bridgewater as a backup for right now and a potential immediate starter option if Brady decides to retire in a year or two. Could Belichick could’ve gotten more for Garoppolo? Probably. But there’s no way you can justify holding onto Brady and paying Garoppolo starting QB money. Brady, while old and close to the end of his career, is still a good QB who has proven it over a long time and usually takes less money to help the team out.
You mustnt understand the situation…
Bill didnt want to trade Jimmy.. Bill wanted to move on from Tom…
If Tom Brady gets hurt, i think Bill loves it. I think he doesnt even attempt to trade for Teddy, and just spends all game grinning up into the box where Robert Kraft sits…
Teddy is on a one year deal, has played a total of 8 plays last couple years and was a bottom tier starter before the injury that almost was a career ender. How high can his trade value possibly be?
This shouldn’t be surprising news as Bridgewater trade rumors started as soon as he signed. If Darnold is ready to start and/or McCown continues to at least look serviceable as a starter, Bridgewater is gone. If Darnold looks like he’s a long way from being ready and/or McCown looks terrible or gets injured, Bridgewater will be kept around.
At best, the Jets are likely looking at a conditional draft pick that would convey or be more valuable based on Bridgewater’s playing time.