Trade Bait: Jets QB Teddy Bridgewater

With the 2018 season coming closer and closer each team looks to the most important position in football, the quarterback position. The Jets are the weird ones living in the middle, they are optimistic about Sam Darnold, the young QB from USC, but in the logical part of their minds, they have to be skeptical about it due to the numerous bust QBs the Jets have had since Broadway Joe. But for now, it looks to be like Uncle Josh is going to win the job as the Week 1 starter, which is a whole other article. However, for this article we are looking at the odd man out: Teddy Bridgewater.

Bridgwater came into the NFL and played a few seasons with the Vikings before going down in practice due to an ACL tear. While Bridgewater was out, Case Keenum became the household name by taking the Vikings to the playoffs and almost reaching the Super Bowl. This woke up the Vikings’ brass and they decided to poach Kirk Cousins with a 3-year fully guaranteed $84 million dollar deal to get away from Bridgewater after seeing the back up take them farther than he did. This allowed the Jets to snatch up Bridgewater and sign him to a one year prove it deal. So far the prove it deal is making the bank, with Bridgewater a full participant in OTAs and looking to be his old college form. The question now is do they trade him or do they keep him?

Trade Bait?

If they go the trade route they could get some interesting options both in players and picks. Hackenberg received the short end of the stick both by the Jets and the Raiders during his tenure with both teams. but they went through it with picks. Bridgewater is proven good quarterback because he had touched the field, unlike the young Hack, and he could generate some interesting trade scenarios. But who would be in the market? Well, most teams picked up their QBs in the latest draft or still believe in a veteran QB, so it would have to be a backup situation. The only teams that can be thought of are the Chargers, Lions, Falcons, and Dolphins.

The Chargers have long time slinger Phillips Rivers who has been with the team almost as long as Antonio Gates who is possibly one of the best TEs in the modern era. With Cardale Jones, Geno Smith, and Nic Shimonek being Rivers backups, the Chargers could use a bump in that department. Not saying the Jets are solid, but with Smith who played for the Jets and has the accuracy that makes former Jet Bryce Petty look like Tom Brady, yeah it could be better. So lets say this trade happens. The Jets could ask for picks (say 4th or 5th round picks) or a second stringer (possibly even 2 third stringers). Which, should the Jets actually do that, then they would target edge rushers.

Teddy Bridgewater trade to Tampa Bay Buccaneers makes sense https://t.co/uiUGFK4aAy pic.twitter.com/zshUXZlO9S

— NFL Mocks (@NFLMocks) July 3, 2018

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If I'm the Bucs, I call the Jets and see if I can trade for Teddy Bridgewater and put real competition behind Winston. Winston is more hype than producer.

— Michael Lombardi (@mlombardiNFL) July 3, 2018

The Lions are another team the Jets could target for a trade with Bridgewater. With Matt Cassel and Jake Rudock, the Lions could use an upgrade behind Stafford who tends to get his fingers hurt a lot. Cassel has some good experience and could get the job done in a pinch if you need to tape up Stafford’s hand, but not as a long-term solution like Keenum was for the Vikings. The Jets could score on some big-time playmakers or a good amount of picks should this trade happen.

The Falcons have Matt Ryan, two greenies (under five years in the league) and a rookie in their locker room. Again another team the Jets could get cozy with should they want to upgrade their edge rushing or get extra picks. Bridgewater would be perfect. The young ones could see both ends of the QB spectrum from the veteran style of Matt Ryan to the younger slinging style of Bridgewater and help set them up for the future and not another 21-3.

The Dolphins are the last team that the Jets could trade with for sure. After Ryan Tannehill, it is Bryce Petty, Brock Osweiler, and David Fales. This QB group could and probably is worse than the Jets QB group right now. The Jets fan base knows about Petty and how they feel about him is a different story. Osweiler is the QB that has the talent but does not put forth the effort it seems, so he keeps getting passed around the NFL. And Fales is just an unproven guy. Bridgewater could possibly be the instant starter due to Tannehill’s shakiness. After going down last season it took Tannehill a lot longer to return than Bridgewater and Bridgewater is a lot stronger so time will tell for this one. However, with the Dolphins racking up picks in the third and fourth rounds, it safe to say the Jets could steal a few.

– Alessandro Senatore is a staff writer for Full Press Coverage Jets and covers the New York Jets. Like and follow on Follow @AMS1928 Follow @FPC_Jets