3 reasons why Teddy Bridgewater is not a stop-gap QB

Carolina Panthers Reason No. 2: Financial commitment

The Carolina Panthers have been somewhat restrictive in the way they have gone about their business this offseason. This was down in no small part to their extortionate dead cap figure that stands at $41.11 million, according to Spotrac.

This was perhaps a necessary evil given the number of veteran players on big salaries that needed to be moved on. And they would not want to jeopardize things even further going forward by releasing Bridgewater ahead of time.

His contract probably dictates that the player is going to get at least two years in the plate for the Panthers. There is a potential out regarding Bridgewater’s contract in 2020, which would represent a cap saving of $21 million if he is moved on at this time.

There is every chance that Bridgewater can see out his three-year deal if he plays well enough. Carolina has bet big and moved one of their greatest ever players on to accommodate the player. And this represents a tremendous leap of faith from the organization.

Even if the Panthers are in a position to draft a potential signal-caller of the future in Trevor Lawrence or Justin Fields in 2021. There wouldn’t be a great deal of pressure for them to come in and start right away.

Another possible option with good production from Bridgewater is getting something in return for him on the trade market. Although his 2022 base salary of $20 million might put some teams off if they are not guaranteed quality numbers in return.