The Carolina Panthers are finalizing a three-year, $60 million contract with New Orleans Saints free agent Teddy Bridgewater, as first reported by ESPN’s Chris Mortensen and confirmed by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Bridgewater thrived as the backup quarterback in New Orleans but will get the opportunity to start for the Panthers.
He’ll also be reunited with former Saints assistant Joe Brady, who rose to prominence during the LSU Tigers 2019 title run and now works as the Panthers offensive coordinator. While many free agent pickups around the league will need time to absorb a new playbook, Bridgewater gets a head start due to that familiarity.
And familiarity is something the Saints will lean on in the years ahead. They and the Panthers will play twice a year as NFC South rivals, meaning Drew Brees’ one-time protege will now be directly competing against him. It’s great to see Bridgewater earn this kind of windfall, and he should do well in a system he’s used to running. But couldn’t he have gone somewhere else?
