5 replacements for Teddy Bridgewater
By John Buhler
4. Zach Mettenberger
The San Diego Chargers cut quarterback Zach Mettenberger on Tuesday. This was Mettenberger’s first season with the Chargers, but did not appear in either of the Chargers’ last two preseason games. For whatever reason, the reunion with his former Tennessee Titans coach Ken Whisenhunt in San Diego didn’t work out.
Mettenberger has talent and can make all the throws as an NFL passer. He’s not particularly mobile and does have somewhat of an alienating personality. That being said, there may not be an available quarterback better suited to run Turner’s deep vertical attack than Mettenberger.
It would take a few weeks for Mettenberger to learn the playbook, but if Minnesota’s offensive line can keep him upright, he might succeed in the NFC North on a short-term basis. Mettenberger’s cannon of an arm will do better than Bridgewater’s in frigid outdoor venues like Lambeau Field and Soldier Field.
Mettenberger has played in three pro-style offenses in the last few years. He briefly played in Mark Richt’s offense at Georgia, he starred in Cam Cameron’s offense at LSU, and he had been with the Titans’ Whisenhunt the last two years in Nashville. He’d be a work in progress, but Mettenberger has the skill set to succeed in Minnesota working with Norv Turner.
Next: 3. Mark Sanchez