4 Carolina Panthers facing make-or-break seasons in 2020

Carolina Panthers Player No. 2: Teddy Bridgewater (QB)

To say the Carolina Panthers have bet big on Teddy Bridgewater turning around the immediate fortunes of the franchise would be something of an understatement. The quarterback signed a three-year, $63 million deal that included a $15 million signing bonus and $33 million guaranteed to prise him off the free-agent market. And it represents a significant leap of faith from the organization.

Bridgewater deserves another chance to make a starting position his own in the NFL. He has worked exceptionally hard to come back from the brink. And he also went 5-0 under center in New Orleans in the absence of Drew Brees last season.

Much will depend on how the offensive line performs. But there is a chance Bridgewater can become the reliable presence that Carolina was sorely lacking in 2019. Playing in the shadow of Cam Newton is going to come with its own set of challenges. And this is something that the player was already fully aware of before committing his future to the organization.

He is a far more accurate passer than Newton. And there isn’t much wear and tear on his body besides the serious leg injury that almost ended his career. Bridgewater’s familiarity with Joe Brady is something else the player has in his favor. As is the level of weapons at his disposal on the Panthers’ offense.

If Bridgewater makes the most out of this opportunity, then the Panthers will have found their quarterback of the future. If he is unable to reach certain targets, it might land Carolina with a top-end pick in the 2021 NFL Draft and within a chance of drafting the likes of Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields, or Trey Lance.