Would Teddy Bridgewater be a good fit on the Chicago Bears?
By Dean Jones
Would Carolina Panthers quarterback Teddy Bridgewater be a good fit on the Chicago Bears if the player moves on as expected this offseason?
It’s clear that the writing is on the wall for Teddy Bridgewater. The Carolina Panthers are exploring every possible option with a view to improving production under center in 2021 and beyond, which means the former first-round pick’s time with the franchise is set to be over after just one year.
Whether this is a little harsh on Bridgewater is a moot point now. The Panthers have clearly made their mind up and may have even told the player as much if his recent Instagram activity is any indication.
It might all be a coincidence, of course.
But the simple fact is Bridgewater didn’t do enough to convince people he was the man to lead Carolina forward.
The Panthers were hoping for a better outcome when they gave the Louisville product a three-year, $63 million deal with a $15 million signing bonus and $33 million guaranteed. Bridgewater hadn’t started a prolonged period of games since 2015 with the Minnesota Vikings besides going 5-0 in Drew Brees’ absence as part of the New Orleans Saints in 2019. So it was a massive gamble on Carolina’s part that didn’t pay off.
Finding a willing trade partner might be difficult considering the money left on Bridgewater’s deal. But there is one team who could be in the mix if the Houston Texans don’t accept him as part of any deal for Deshaun Watson.
Teddy Bridgewater was targeted by the Bears in 2020.
The Chicago Bears made the playoffs in 2020 despite some less than stellar production from their quarterback duo of Mitchell Trubisky and Nick Foles. They decided to keep faith with head coach Matt Ngay, so getting a long-term solution at the most important position on the field is a top priority for the organization this spring.
Chicago reportedly pursued Bridgewater in a big way last year before he eventually joined the Panthers. So providing the price is right then a return to the NFC North could be a realistic option.
Trubisky is out of contract and it remains to be seen whether the Bears bring him back. Considering they moved up to take him at No. 2 overall when Patrick Mahomes and Watson were still on the board, it’s going to go down as one of the gravest draft errors in NFL history.
However, there is no point in looking back.
One could argue that Bridgewater is an upgrade on Foles considering his relative lack of production. But with the Bears also set to lose stud wide receiver Allen Robinson in free agency, it’s not the best offense to be walking into.
Unlike Watson, Bridgewater doesn’t have the luxury of a no-trade clause in his contract. His future is well and truly up in the air, but he would at least get the chance of being a No. 1 option yet again if he ended up in Chicago.
There promises to be plenty of twists and turns in this dramatic offseason. Carolina might want a sure replacement before trading Bridgewater. But they are also aware that teams have already begun making moves and won’t want to be stuck with the player moving forward.
Chicago seems like a good fit – although his 216 yards, no touchdowns, and two interceptions didn’t leave the biggest impression when Carolina suffered defeat to the Bears in Week 6.
A mid-round pick would probably suffice, providing an upgrade is secured. This is something the Bears and a couple of other teams across the league would consider for the former Pro Bowler, who failed to emerge from Cam Newton’s shadow in Carolina.