New York Giants: Draft might not be best option for new QB – Part 2
By Ed Stein
Teddy Bridgewater, Free agent, 26
Let’s hop into the “way back machine” for a moment to the Minnesota Vikings 2016 training camp. Optimism is running high for the purple-clad Norse warriors. The year prior, they won the NFC North Division with an 11-5 record led by quarterback and 2014 first round pick, Teddy Bridgewater. Minnesota was eliminated from the playoffs as a result of a heartbreaking 10-9 loss to Seattle when kicker Blair Walsh missed a game-winning field goal.
It’s easy to understand the further disappointment of Vikings Nation when Bridgewater blew out his knee at the beginning of that fateful training camp. In an effort to capitalize on their previous season’s success, Minnesota traded their first-round pick to Philadelphia for quarterback Sam Bradford and Bridgewater was essentially done with the Vikings.
What we didn’t know at the time was the extent of his injury. In a 2017 interview with CBS Sports, Bridgewater revealed that he came close to losing his leg. Needless to say, he didn’t play in 2016 and made it into only one game in 2017, throwing two passes.
Last year, the Jets brought the former Louisville QB to training camp. By all accounts, he won the starting job but the Giants Met Life Stadium co-tenants decided to go with their first-round pick Darnold. Bridgewater was sent to New Orleans for a third-round pick. He spent the year as Drew Brees‘ backup.
Even with all this history, Bridgewater is just 26 years old. Maybe he isn’t as mobile as he was during his first two seasons, but that still makes him more dynamic than most of the quarterbacks in the NFL. He’s always had a good arm and has just under a 65 completion percentage for his career.
It would be difficult for the New York Giants to find someone with his skill set on the open market. Bridgewater learned from Brees last season and some time with Manning would be a great benefit. The G-Men could sign him to a multi-year incentive laden contract, with some decent guaranteed money. A very reasonable gamble.