NFL Draft: Panthers trade Teddy Bridgewater to Broncos for sixth-round pick
The Carolina Panthers have traded quarterback Teddy Bridgewater to the Denver Broncos for a sixth-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Bridgewater, 28, joined Carolina on a three-year, $63 million contract in March 2020, with $33 million guaranteed.
The Panthers acquired quarterback Sam Darnold from the New York Jets on April 5 in exchange for three draft picks.
Bridgewater threw for career highs of 3,733 yards and 15 touchdowns along with 11 interceptions in 15 games last season, going 4-11 as a starter. He was 22-12 as a starter with the Minnesota Vikings, who drafted him 32nd in 2014, and the Saints.
New Broncos general manager George Paton was with the Vikings when they drafted Bridgewater in the first round in 2014.
"Acquiring Teddy Bridgewater adds competition, experience and a strong veteran presence to our quarterback room," Paton said in a statement. "He's a talented player and leader who's had success in this league in a number of different situations. Being familiar with Teddy from Minnesota, he's going to compete and do everything he can to help us win."
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What does Bridgewater bring to the Broncos?
Nick Kosmider, Broncos beat writer: A steady, veteran presence. Bridgewater gives the Broncos an acceptable floor of productive play at the game's most important position, something they couldn't always count on in 2020. The eighth-year veteran, a first-round pick of the Vikings in 2014, has completed nearly 67 percent of his career passes and has 53 touchdowns against 36 interceptions.
If Bridgewater is the starter come Week 1 — he wanted be handed that title right away — the Broncos know they'll be pairing competent quarterback play with a top-tier defense and an emerging cast of young offensive playmakers, a formula that should give Denver a chance to be more competitive than it was during its 5-11 stumble in 2020.
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What this means for the Panthers
Joseph Person, Panthers beat writer: Bridgewater’s days have been numbered since December when owner David Tepper failed to give him even the slightest vote of confidence. The Panthers are paying $7 million of Bridgewater’s salary this year, which nets them $6 million in cap savings. They’re left with $17 million in dead cap, but Bridgewater is off the books for 2022. The Panthers also recouped the sixth-round pick they gave up for Darnold (in addition to a second and fourth next year). Tepper was willing to eat the money on a QB who failed to deliver in the clutch in 2020.
How does this affect both teams' approach to the draft?
Kosmider: The trade doesn't pull the Broncos out of the mix for a rookie quarterback. In fact, it could be argued Denver is more set up to help a rookie quarterback than it was before this move. Bridgewater has seen it all during his NFL career and would be viewed as a strong mentor for a young quarterback. Paton has valuable knowledge about what Bridgewater brings in that regard.
The real question is what this means for Drew Lock. Do the Broncos see this as a battle between Bridgewater and Lock for the starting job in 2021? Or will this mark the end for in Denver for the 2019 second-round pick? Thursday's draft will reveal the final piece to the puzzle.
Person: The trade doesn’t really change the Panthers’ approach to the draft because they were going to cut Bridgewater if they couldn’t find a trade partner. The team’s brass still has to decide whether it would take Justin Fields if the Ohio State QB falls to them at 8. Tepper likes what Fields could bring to the organization, but general manager Scott Fitterer has expressed a willingness to trade back and accumulate more picks. Matt Rhule believes Darnold can thrive in Joe Brady’s offensive system, with weapons like Christian McCaffrey, Robby Anderson and D.J. Moore. But taking Fields remains an option.
(Photo: Nick Wosika / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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