Teddy Bridgewater and the Patriots are the perfect pairing

The New England Patriots will be looking to replace Tom Brady, and Teddy Bridgewater looks like a perfect match.

What looked likely to happen has now become all but official, as Tom Brady took to social media Tuesday morning to announce he will be leaving the New England Patriots. Free agency and the trade market offer plenty of options, and Teddy Bridgewater stands among them.

There’s no way Bill Belichick will go with Jarrett Stidham and Cody Kessler as his quarterbacks without pursuing all avenues to find a proven starter. The question in that pursuit will be the cost, via a contract in free agency or what would be relinquished in a trade.

Bridgewater was a first-round pick by the Minnesota Vikings in 2014, and he was on an upward track before suffering a career-altering knee injury late in the 2016 preseason. In his first extensive action since then, he went 5-0 as the New Orleans Saints’ starter when Drew Brees was injured last season. Over his last three starts, with some rust surely knocked off, he averaged over 278 passing yards per game.

Bridgewater didn’t put up outstanding numbers in his one full season as the Vikings’ starter. But the team did go 11-5 and win the NFC North in 2015, and he performed well in critical situations. Does that sound like anyone the Patriots have had?

Bridgewater has plenty of potential suitors, with the Chicago Bears, Tampa Bay Buccaneers or even a return again to the Saints possibly in play. It’s hard to see the Patriots engaging in a bidding war for anyone, but where that line would be is sure to be determined on a case-by-case basis.

In terms of demeanor, intangibles, accuracy and taking care of the ball, Bridgewater looks like the ideal quarterback for Belichick and the Patriots. He’s also still only 27 years old, so he could carry the franchise into the post-Brady era with continued stability under center for years to come.