How Teddy Bridgewater blew his chance with the Carolina Panthers
By Dean Jones
Teddy Bridgewater’s contract
What makes Teddy Bridgewater’s situation even worse is the contract he was given by the Carolina Panthers during free agency last year. This has nothing to do with him – although he no doubt welcomed it – but more to do with the organization allocating far too much in the way of financial resources to acquire him.
Considering Bridgewater hadn’t started a full season since 2015, he might have been willing to accept a one-year, prove-it agreement with a view to a bigger commitment down the line if his reunion with Joe Brady paid off. Instead, the Panthers gave him a three-year, $63 million deal with a $15 million signing bonus and $33 million guaranteed.
A huge risk that has blown up in their face.
Bridgewater was probably on a hiding to nothing coming into the organization, especially considering the way Cam Newton’s departure was handled around the same period. In theory, the 2015 NFL MVP should have been moved on almost immediately after his replacement signed on the dotted line. Instead, they waited until there was almost no starting opportunities anywhere.
Thankfully, the person responsible for giving Bridgewater such a lucrative deal is no longer around. Marty Hurney was fired for a second time by the Panthers before the season came to a conclusion and new general manager Scott Fitterer has been left to clear the mess he left behind.
As for Bridgewater, he leaves Carolina $23.98 million richer and leaving the team footing most of the bill for his season with the Denver Broncos in 2021.