5 Carolina Panthers facing boom or bust seasons in 2020
By Dean Jones
Carolina Panthers Player No. 1: Teddy Bridgewater – QB
The Carolina Panthers sacrificed plenty to bring quarterback Teddy Bridgewater into the organization this offseason. They allocated a substantial amount of their available funds. And the franchise also parted ways with a legendary figure in Cam Newton.
Playing in the shadow of such an iconic figure is going to come with its own set of problems. But Bridgewater has worked tremendously hard for another starting opportunity. And everything seems to be in place for him to succeed.
He has a star running back alongside him in All-Pro Christian McCaffrey. And the wide receiver options at the former first-round pick’s disposal could be among the NFL’s best in 2020.
The Panthers gave Bridgewater a three-year, $63 million deal with a $15 million signing bonus and $33 million guaranteed to reunite him with new offensive coordinator Joe Brady. The pair worked together closely during the time with the New Orleans Saints. And this is another thing that the player has in his favor going forward.
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Providing Carolina’s offensive line holds up to its end of the bargain, then it is hard to envisage a situation where Bridgewater does not thrive in his new environment. This could see the Louisville product put up some lofty numbers. But if he fails to reach expectations, then it won’t take long for calls to bring in a franchise quarterback in the 2021 NFL Draft to surface.
If the Panthers are in a position to select either Trevor Lawrence or Justin Fields, it is going to be hard to pass up. Bridgewater must leave no doubt he is the man to guide them forward. And he will not want to waste this chance.