New York Jets quarterback Teddy Bridgewater appears to be on the move sooner rather than later and there are a number of potential suitors.
It was only a matter of time, but the New York Jets’ cool and calculated ways are about to pay off in a big way. Five months after making a shrewd addition to their quarterback room, it appears the Jets are on the verge of a potential deal to send their veteran quarterback Teddy Bridgewater to the highest bidder.
Who is that team? Well, it depends who you ask.
The teams that have been floating around the rumor mill are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (starting quarterback Jameis Winston is suspended for the first three games of the season), so the team would like to improve their backup situation plus have an insurance policy just in case.
The Philadelphia Eagles have been mentioned as a possibility because Carson Wentz is battling back from a torn ACL that was suffered back in December. Unless he has an Adrian Peterson like comeback, he’s likely missing the first several weeks of the season. Which leaves Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles as the backup option. Foles suffered a right shoulder injury in preseason and his future status is unclear. This is starting to seriously look like an option.
My sources have effectively ruled the Jacksonville Jaguars out of the equation because the team “loves Blake Bortles and wouldn’t want to sabotage his role on the team.”
But a few more teams were also added to this list.
Adam Schefter appeared on Golic and Wingo on ESPN Radio Monday morning and suggested the Miami Dolphins were a great fit for Bridgewater. Now, this is a multi-layered onion, so let’s peel it one layer at a time.
Bridgewater knows the Jets offensive playbook, which would be dangerous shipping him within the division to potentially wreak havoc later. Plus, why would the Jets help out a division rival, if they don’t have too?
To even consider this trade, it would have to be a massive offer coming back for the Jets. Like a first or second round pick territory, or else it’s just better to trade him to a different interested party outside the division.
While Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News also threw a familiar name to Jets fans and that’s the New England Patriots. Wait, what?
Although Mehta suggested the chances of that happening are slim to none, it’s interesting that they’d even consider the phone call over to 1 Jets Drive.
The dark horse team to watch out for, according to Mehta, is the Denver Broncos. Denver did just invest a lot of coin into former backup quarterback Case Keenum, but he hasn’t been overly impressive. While the depth at the position isn’t overly inspiring either.
My sources have confirmed that the Jets will be moving Bridgewater for the right offer, but apparently will not just send him into purgatory for the sake of getting a premium pick back. As Mehta initially reported, the team “wants to do right by Teddy.”
Think of the New England Patriots-San Francisco 49ers deal that sent Jimmy Garoppolo out west for a second round pick. From what I understand, the Jets are heavily weighing that sort of option to send him to a really good situation, even if it’s less compensation returning.
The Jets are ready to begin the Sam Darnold movement. While everyone loves Teddy Bridgewater, he’s on a one-year deal and the future of the franchise is waiting patiently. The only move for the Jets is to trade Teddy and recoup value while they can.
