3 glaring problems if Teddy Bridgewater isn’t traded in 2021
By Dean Jones
Coaching staff confidence in Teddy Bridgewater
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that the Carolina Panthers don’t think much about Teddy Bridgewater getting them back into postseason contention at the earliest possible opportunity. Both Matt Rhule and Scott Fitterer commended the player’s response this offseason to the team’s desire for a better option. But it would certainly make for an awkward situation if the former first-round pick walked into training camp and OTAs following the acquisition of Sam Darnold.
Bridgewater knows full-well that the NFL is a business. So even though Carolina getting more competition for his spot probably hurts, taking it personally is simply not an option.
That being said, Carolina’s recent trade with the New York Jets indicates a lack of confidence in Bridgewater and this won’t have gone unnoticed by the player. Even if he is around next season, it’s apparent he won’t have things his own way and might be forced to hold a clipboard once again after just one season as a starter.
The Panthers could have easily given Bridgewater a vote of confidence following the campaign and not gone this route. Instead, they were aggressive in their approach to getting another signal-caller that result in Darnold joining as the Jets look set to move forward with Zach Wilson.