While the attention of New England fans is centered on the status of legendary quarterback Tom Brady, we must not forget to look over other options as well.
Teddy Bridgewater had a bright future when he started with the Minnesota Vikings. The 32nd overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft performed well in his first two seasons. His 6,150 yards, 28 touchdowns, and 21 interceptions showed his growing ability as a passer, but his dual-threat ability was his absolute threat. It would also have the potential to end his NFL career as quickly as it started.
During a team practice on Aug. 30, 2016, Bridgewater suffered a non-contact injury to his left leg. A subsequent MRI confirmed that he tore his ACL and suffered other structural damage, including a dislocation of the knee joint. As a result, Bridgewater missed the rest of the 2016 season. After the loss of Bridgewater for at least the 2016 season, the Vikings traded a first-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft and a conditional fourth-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft to the Philadelphia Eagles for quarterback Sam Bradford. In 2016, the Vikings went 8-8, finishing third in the NFC North and missing the playoffs, despite starting the season with a 5-0 record.
After a one-year stint with the New York Jets that went nowhere, Bridgewater ended up in New Orleans and was Drew Brees’s replacement from Weeks 2 to 7 in 2019, signifying his ability to be an efficient starting quarterback in the league
What could he bring to New England? Bridgewater is a great passer with the ability to stretch the play beyond the pocket. While the Patriots’ receiving core is not the strongest, he could utilize the length on Mohamed Sanu and the speed of Julian Edelman. His football IQ has developed immensely, as that was one of his biggest question marks coming out of the draft.
If Belichick and co. cannot get a Brady deal done, Bridgewater is the obvious choice to lead this team to Super Bowl glory.
