Teddy Bridgewater’s future does not appear to be in Carolina

No matter how they get it, the Carolina Panthers will have a new quarterback for the 2021 season. 

Like toilet paper in the early days of the pandemic, quarterbacks are being panically purchased in the NFL.

Jared Goff was already shipped to the Detroit Lions while Matthew Stafford is now in Los Angeles. the Bears are rumored to be sending a first-round pick to Philly for Carson Wentz. Sam Darnold could be on the move and so could Deshaun Watson for the right price.

But where do the Carolina Panthers fit in all of this? More specifically, where does Teddy Bridgwater fit?

According ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Panthers were well in the mix to land Stafford. Their package included the No. 8 in the 2021 NFL Draft, a fifth-round pick and Bridgewater.

The Lions instead went with the Rams’ package instead, sending Stafford to Los Angeles for a third-round pick this year, two future first-round picks and Goff in the process.

Will Carolina Panthers trade Teddy Bridgewater?

The Panthers signed Bridgewater to a three-year, $63 million contract last March after his 5-0 run as the Saints’ starter. He went 4-11 as the team’s starter, throwing for 3,733 yards and 15 touchdowns to 11 interceptions and a 69.1 completion percentage through 15 starts.

Those numbers are terrible for a starting quarterback, but they’re not what will get a team to a Super Bowl. Overall, Bridgewater is at best a middle-tier option that can win with the right supporting cast. Even so, it only will be a handful of victories.

Panthers’ owner David Tepper has stated the team will be aggressive this offseason in adding a quarterback. While the crown jewel would be to land Watson from the Houston Texans, it would cost the franchise an immense amount of first-round picks and perhaps two proven stars.

Instead, Carolina should look to move up in the draft when securing one of the biggest names from the 2021 class. BYU’s Zach Wilson, Ohio State’s Justin Fields and North Dakota State’s Trey Lance all are expected to be taken early following stellar final seasons at their respective schools.

Another move that could be made is trading back to later select Alabama’s Mac Jones. The Panthers recently spent the entire week working with the Crimson Tide quarterback down at the Senior Bowl and left impressed with what they saw.

Either way, expect the Bridgewater reign to be done in the Queen City at some point in 2021.