With NFL free agency set to kick off during the start of Monday’s legal tampering period, it’s felt like a safe bet that New Orleans Saints backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater would leave for a new team. Bridgewater impressed in his five starts during the 2019 season in relief of the injured Drew Brees, winning every game he started and protecting the football well.
So far, common thought has been that Bridgewater will be rewarded with an opportunity to become the face of another franchise, with Brees expected to return in 2020. But ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that Bridgewater is not ruling out any options, including a reunion with the Saints. Even if doing that would mean a significant drop in salary based off the going rate for starting quarterbacks; Ryan Tannehill just signed an extension averaging $29.5 million per year with the Tennessee Titans.
If there is a scarcity of offers, however, a return to the Saints would make plenty of sense for Bridgewater. He has shown he can win within the structure of the Saints offense, and would be a more-proven and younger heir-apparent for Brees than the soon-to-be 30 Taysom Hill.
So if teams like the Chicago Bears are determined to go down with a sinking ship like Mitchell Trubisky, the best move for Bridgewater would be another year as the backup in New Orleans. Bridgewater has made it clear that he wants to start in the NFL, not be a band-aid for a tanking team or a lame duck waiting to be displaced by a rookie.
With the legal tampering period — when Bridgewater and every other free agent can entertain offers from other teams — just hours away, keep a close eye on this space for further developments.
