Getty The Patriots could sign Teddy Bridgewater to replace Tom Brady.
The idea of Teddy Bridgewater signing with the New England Patriots is starting to gain steam.
A few weeks ago, CBS Sports writer Jason La Canfora predicted the Patriots would sign Bridgewater to replace Tom Brady as the team’s starting quarterback. Now, The Athletic’s Shiel Kapadia is making a similar prediction.
According to Kapadia, the Patriots will turn to Bridgewater as a result of Brady bolting New England in free agency.
“When’s the last time the Patriots were in the market for a starting quarterback? They had Drew Bledsoe from 1993 to 2000 and then Brady took over. They have a young quarterback in Jarrett Stidham. Perhaps Belichick turns to him if Brady leaves. Or he could pursue a quarterback in free agency.” Kapadia stated.
He then proceeded to explain the type of fit that Bridgewater could be for the Patriots, specifically from a financial standpoint.
“In Bridgewater, the Patriots could land a starting option who would not break the bank. Bridgewater has the intangibles in terms of leadership and work ethic that Belichick may find appealing. And he’s not the type of quarterback that will lose the game with mistakes. In five starts with the Saints last season, Bridgewater posted a 1.0 percent interception rate and he fumbled just once. It doesn’t have to be an either/or situation.
The Patriots can bring Bridgewater in and let him compete with Stidham. If they see someone they like in the draft, they can take another swing there. Bridgewater is hitting free agency in a year when teams have a lot of quarterback options. New England could be one of his best chances to start.” Kapadia explains.
Bridgewater Would Compete With Stidham in 2020
As Kapadia notes, either Bridgewater or second-year quarterback Jarrett Stidham would step in to be New England’s next starting quarterback. They would compete in training camp to decide who would be the Patriots’ quarterback in 2020.
Bridgewater is no slouch at quarterback. He’s just 27 years old and is coming off a season in which he led the New Orleans Saints to a 5-0 record while filling in for the injured Drew Brees. As Kapadia mentions, Bridgewater doesn’t turn the ball over — which would be a selling point for any team, and his play fits well in Bill Belichick’s offense.
Brady Predicted To Sign With Raiders
If you’re wondering where Brady would land for the 2020 season, Kapadia predicts the six-time Super Bowl champion is signing with the Las Vegas Raiders. He pointed to the team’s offensive line, recently-drafted running back Josh Jacobs and a few talented pass-catchers already on the Raiders roster as key reasons why.
The Raiders have been proposed as a popular landing spot for Brady, along with the likes of the Los Angeles Chargers and Tennessee Titans.
We have a long way to go before Brady makes his decision on where he’ll sign — free agency begins on March 18 — but the Patriots should at least be considering backup options just in case Brady decides to leave them high and dry.
Bridgewater may represent the Patriots’ best option if Brady does indeed decide to leave New England.
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Teddy Bridgewater Called ‘Appealing’ Tom Brady Replacement for Patriots