Welcome Teddy Bridgewater

[DJ Fieri]

I like it as a backup. We give up our 6th rounder. Carolina pays him $7MM and we pay him $3MM.

How?

He signed a 3 year deal worth 63 mill with Carolina when he was a FA.

 

[DJ Fieri]

Use that #9 pick on OL....

 

[SpringStein]

If you can't pan out in catolina with no one challenging you are you really a quality backup??

I think there is a big difference in pressure from being a starter to being a back up. So yes, I think Teddy could be a great back up as a mentor and to step in if necessary in case of injury or poor performance. I've always liked him and from what I know he is a good leader and that is a help in the QB room.

My concerns if he was signed to be a starter:
A. Tremendously disappointing year last year. (But I do think the weapons he will have in Denver will be better than he had with Panthers last year.)
B. He seems to be king of the checkdowns and short passing game. Is that a good coupling with Sutton and Jeudy who have the ability to get separation downfield? And Fant has that same ability.

 

[SpringStein]

How?

He signed a 3 year deal worth 63 mill with Carolina when he was a FA.

From PFT:
The Broncos traded for Teddy Bridgewater but not before altering his contract.

The restructure of Bridgewater’s deal eliminates the final year and $21 million of his contract in 2022, Mike Klis of 9News reports. The Panthers and Broncos also will split in some way the $10 million base guarantee for this season.

UPDATE 2:21 P.M. ET: Mark Maske of The Washington Post reports Carolina will pay $7 million of the guaranteed money owed Bridgewater for 2021 while Denver will pay $3 million.

 

[DJ Fieri]

From PFT:
The Broncos traded for Teddy Bridgewater but not before altering his contract.

The restructure of Bridgewater’s deal eliminates the final year and $21 million of his contract in 2022, Mike Klis of 9News reports. The Panthers and Broncos also will split in some way the $10 million base guarantee for this season.

UPDATE 2:21 P.M. ET: Mark Maske of The Washington Post reports Carolina will pay $7 million of the guaranteed money owed Bridgewater for 2021 while Denver will pay $3 million.

Great move, especially since they only gave up a 6th.....

I would have thought Carolina could have got a 3rd or 4th rounder for him after what Carolina gave up for Darnold but the Panthers probably just wanted to move on from him most likely.. He's a solid, if not spectacular, QB.,

 

[ducky]

Incredibly dumb by the rest of the NFL not to jump on this one. I wonder if CAR gave Teddy a choice on where to go.

If the Broncos dont sign a comparable offset FA next year, he will net you a 4th or 5th comp pick in 2023. In a normal year a backup QB with Teddy's experience is almost guaranteed to get a $5-$8 M year deal (if not mroe) on the open market next year.

 

[DJ Fieri]

Incredibly dumb by the rest of the NFL not to jump on this one. I wonder if CAR gave Teddy a choice on where to go.

If the Broncos dont sign a comparable offset FA next year, he will net you a 4th or 5th comp pick in 2023. In a normal year a backup QB with Teddy's experience is almost guaranteed to get a $5-$8 M year deal (if not mroe) on the open market next year.

There was no market for him....the teams that need QB's will be drafting 1 on Thursday.

 

[SpringStein]

Incredibly dumb by the rest of the NFL not to jump on this one. I wonder if CAR gave Teddy a choice on where to go.

If the Broncos dont sign a comparable offset FA next year, he will net you a 4th or 5th comp pick in 2023. In a normal year a backup QB with Teddy's experience is almost guaranteed to get a $5-$8 M year deal (if not mroe) on the open market next year.

I know Teddy was injured most of his time with the Vikings, but what were your thoughts on him? Interested to hear from a Vikes fan.

 

[ducky]

I know Teddy was injured most of his time with the Vikings, but what were your thoughts on him? Interested to hear from a Vikes fan.

Accurate passer and a really likable guy.

But he is not a guy you want as your starting QB IMO. He is a bit limited. A checkdown Charlie type of QB. Just not as dynamic with his arm or his legs to be a top 15 QB in the league really. And if you don't have a top 15 QB, you don't have a QB that you want to sign to the type of dollars that a starting QB (even if they aren't a top 15 QB in the league) commands.

.....but he also is still relatively young too. He is only a 1 year older now I believe than Brees was when he went from SD to New Orleans. And I would have said A LOT of the stuff about Brees that I just said about Teddy. So there is still untapped potential there.

 

[PumpFake]

Well, we got our first-round QB. Two QB's taken before TB (not Tom Brady) in the 2014 draft. Bortles @ #3 and Manzel @ #22. Both busts.

I'll get behind whatever the front office does, but you can see how a LOT of these QBs turn out. I hope we continue to build our team with impact players at other positions. Give Lock another lap and see how he does. If he doesn't peg the needle this year then hand a stacked roster to his successor.

 

[cdumler7]

I like this move and honestly I don't think this move says anything about Lock or what the Broncos are going to do early in the draft. They have wanted to upgrade the backup spot all offseason.

I think the only conclusion you can draw from this move is that if the Broncos do take a QB in the 1st round then Lock will be traded. Heck honestly I could see him being a part of the deal to trade up. Detroit has had interest in him so let's say the Broncos want to get to 7 ahead of where the Patriots might try to get to so can maybe get away with just trading the 9th overall pick and Lock and another 3rd or so.

 

[PumpFake]

I like this move and honestly I don't think this move says anything about Lock or what the Broncos are going to do early in the draft. They have wanted to upgrade the backup spot all offseason.

I think the only conclusion you can draw from this move is that if the Broncos do take a QB in the 1st round then Lock will be traded. Heck honestly I could see him being a part of the deal to trade up. Detroit has had interest in him so let's say the Broncos want to get to 7 ahead of where the Patriots might try to get to so can maybe get away with just trading the 9th overall pick and Lock and another 3rd or so.

I agree with all of this. This is my thinking exactly. Getting Bridgewater doesn’t clarify anything in regard to the draft. All options are on the table.

 

[Mingo]

A good theory, and very possible. But if they draft a QB in round 1, Lock will be moved and it will be Teddy and the Rook.

I think this move was like most other moves GP made going into the draft. Don't put yourself in a position to have to draft a player based on a gaping hole.

Maybe you can address what kind of value Lock will have if they try to trade him after adding Bridgewater and a pick - that would be stupid. I've said this for months now - replacing Lock is not a lunatic idea, but the time to do it was early in the league year when other teams were looking for QBs. After the draft or even after the 1st round - the 5 teams most in need of a QB will have a brand new one - add to that the Rams - who got Stafford - the Lions who got Golf - and the Panthers who got Darnold (that makes the 8 neediest QB teams that will have one).

 

[RaZon]

Very smart move, thumbs up Broncos.

 

[fightinredantz]

To me if we draft a QB in the top 10, we are planning on Teddy being our starting week 1. I am not thrilled with this idea, and it would be different then what Paton has done this offseason in putting the Broncos in the best situation to win now. I don't think Fields or Lance will be ready to start week 1 of the season, and probably need more time to develop. We might force them on the field, but that is not Fangio's way of doing business. Everyone has to earn their spot.

If we end up starting a rookie at QB, do you still hold Fangio to a playoff mandate? A winning record mandate? I think it becomes harder to do so if we have a rookie QB starting as there are always growing pains of one degree or another.

It trust Paton and I trust Fangio. I hope Fangio is in Denver ins 2022.

 

[cdumler7]

To me if we draft a QB in the top 10, we are planning on Teddy being our starting week 1. I am not thrilled with this idea, and it would be different then what Paton has done this offseason in putting the Broncos in the best situation to win now. I don't think Fields or Lance will be ready to start week 1 of the season, and probably need more time to develop. We might force them on the field, but that is not Fangio's way of doing business. Everyone has to earn their spot.

If we end up starting a rookie at QB, do you still hold Fangio to a playoff mandate? A winning record mandate? I think it becomes harder to do so if we have a rookie QB starting as there are always growing pains of one degree or another.

It trust Paton and I trust Fangio. I hope Fangio is in Denver ins 2022.

I would disagree with this. Vegas odds if Teddy Bridgewater starts the season sit at 17.5% chance the Broncos make the playoffs. If I remember right before the trade they were at like 7% with Lock starting.

So getting him and taking a rookie QB could mean the best for the organization both short and long-term.

 

[Mingo]

Anyone think Bridgewater thinks the Broncos are going to draft a QB at 1? The Panthers couldn't get rid of Bridgewater by trading a $10 million contract for this year and they couldn't convert $7 of that into bonus without Bridgewater signing off on that - so Bridgewater controlled where he went - because he wouldn't sign if he didn't like the situation he was going to. And, Bridgewater didn't sign off on the contract change without talking to the Broncos first - do you think?

 

[cdumler7]

Anyone think Bridgewater thinks the Broncos are going to draft a QB at 1? The Panthers couldn't get rid of Bridgewater by trading a $10 million contract for this year and they couldn't convert $7 of that into bonus without Bridgewater signing off on that - so Bridgewater controlled where he went - because he wouldn't sign if he didn't like the situation he was going to. And, Bridgewater didn't sign off on the contract change without talking to the Broncos first - do you think?

The Broncos and Bridgewater have been talking for a while. It was pretty much a foregone conclusion for quite some time that he would be a Denver Broncos. He knows Paton and Shurmur well and gets along with both of them. The question has always been when the deal would get done. Broncos didn't want to rush it as Carolina was asking too much at the beginning and Broncos also didn't like his contract.

 

[Mingo]

The Broncos and Bridgewater have been talking for a while. It was pretty much a foregone conclusion for quite some time that he would be a Denver Broncos. He knows Paton and Shurmur well and gets along with both of them. The question has always been when the deal would get done. Broncos didn't want to rush it as Carolina was asking too much at the beginning and Broncos also didn't like his contract.

My point is - Bridgewater deliberately came to the Broncos. Does anyone think he came to the Broncos to sit behind this year's draft QB #4 or #5 - when he didn't want to sit behind Darnold in CArolina?

As you know I was predicting Bridgewater to the Broncos as the lone voice in the forum for a couple of months.

 

[fightinredantz]

I would disagree with this. Vegas odds if Teddy Bridgewater starts the season sit at 17.5% chance the Broncos make the playoffs. If I remember right before the trade they were at like 7% with Lock starting.

So getting him and taking a rookie QB could mean the best for the organization both short and long-term.

We have disagreed for a long time on Lock. I have faith in Lock, and you are ready to move on from him. I understand your point of view and respect it, I just have a different one.