5 Panthers players on course for the Pro Bowl through Week 4
By Dean Jones
Teddy Bridgewater – Carolina Panthers QB
Teddy Bridgewater came into the season looking to make the most out of another starting opportunity in the NFL. The quarterback has worked exceptionally hard in recent years to recover from a devastating leg injury that put his career on the brink, and it has been an encouraging start overall.
The Carolina Panthers gave Bridgewater a three-year, $63 million deal in free agency that also included a $15 million signing bonus and $33 million guaranteed. More importantly, it removed iconic signal-caller Cam Newton from the equation, albeit messily, which enraged a large section of the team’s loyal fanbase.
This put Bridgewater in a hiding to nothing situation. But despite a less than stellar performance at the Buccaneers in Week 2, he has led the offense to some positive displays thanks to his accurate distribution and ability to control the line of scrimmage.
It might take some time for a few. but Bridgewater is starting to win people around.
If truth be told, it is hard to root against the former first-round pick after what he’s been through getting to this point. He has completed 73 percent of his passes for 1,147 yards, four touchdowns, and three interceptions so far. But two of those came at the Bucs during an uncharacteristically poor opening to the game.
Bridgewater has also demonstrated some surprising mobility both in the pocket and on the run. One such example is his superb touchdown against the Cardinals that brought the game at Bank of America Stadium to life and was a further indication of just how well the player has settled into his new role.
His quarterback rating of 72.3 and a Pro Football Focus grade of 64.8 are encouraging and if things get better in the coming weeks then it might see Bridgewater earn Pro Bowl honors for a second time.