The Carolina Panthers are moving on following a disappointing 5-11 season in which quarterback Teddy Bridgewater couldn’t lead his team to the playoffs. The Panthers will now turn to former New York Jets first-round pick Sam Darnold, while Bridgewater will reportedly have several outside suitors awaiting his departure.
When did it all go wrong between Bridgewater and Panthers owner David Tepper, general manager Scott Fitterer and head coach Matt Rhule?
Most can agree it fell apart because of Bridgewater’s average play and the team’s losing record. It doesn’t take a genius to understand that. However, the Charlotte Oberserver’s Alaina Getzenberg recently revealed a few interesting things about the relationship.
After the Darnold trade, it didn’t take long for Fitterer to give Bridgewater a less-than-stellar review.
“I don’t want to say Teddy couldn’t do something. I just like focusing on the positives that Sam has,” said Fitterer when asked about the duo’s differences. “I really liked (Darnold’s) ability to move in the pocket and really get the ball downfield and take those shots. I do think Teddy is a very valuable player, and I think he’s a starting quarterback, but I just I really like the fit for Sam with Joe Brady and this offense.”
Accoring to Getzenberg, for months Tepper led the charge in trying to “correct the Bridgewater signing.”
That included pursuits of Matthew Stafford, Deshaun Watson or turning to the upcoming NFL draft. Trading second- and fourth-round picks in 2022 and a sixth-round pick this year for Darnold is the first official move to try and fix the mistake.
“Having Bridgewater start in 2021 was never in the cards for the organization after his late-game struggles — some of which were not entirely on him. The Panthers know what they have in Bridgewater. Darnold has a perceived higher ceiling, assuming he can reach a level with offensive coordinator Joe Brady and head coach Matt Rhule than he never did with the Jets,” wrote Getzenberg.
‘Plenty of blame to go around’
Bridgewater’s $63 million deal didn’t work out, a contract that was set up for the team to get out of after two years. And for that, wrote the reporter, there’s plenty of blame to go around.
The hope was that Bridgewater may thrive while getting to work with running back Christian McCaffrey and being protected by left tackle Russell Okung. But McCaffrey played in only three games due to injury and Okung played seven. The offensive line as a hole was inconsistent.
And, needless to say, the pre-ACL tear Bridgewater that fans were used to in Minnesota seems largely a thing of the past. The Teddy Bridgewater of 2020 appeared more like a better, more athletic Tyrod Taylor-like quarterback. He didn’t make many mistakes, but he also wasn’t elite or even excellent.
That said, it is entirely possible that Bridgewater can have a very good bounce back season with a new team with a better defense and more offensive playmakers.
What went wrong, specifically?
Among Bridgewater’s faults in 2020, wrote Getzenberg, were deep passes. In 2020, Bridgewater’s 5.1 average air yards per completed throw was ninth-fewest in the league, per Next Gen Stats. Darnold was worse — sixth-fewest with 4.7.
That Fitterer mentioned Darnold’s ability to get the ball downfield during Monday’s post-trade news conference was no coincidence.
Moreover, his performance at the end of halves and in the red zone were issues throughout the season. The Panthers as an offense went 0-8 in end-of-game situations with chances to win or tie.
What’s next for Teddy?
As we previously covered on CSR, Bridgewater has the attention of several teams pursuing his services.
“The problem is, few teams — if any — want to take on about $18 million in salary. The Panthers and Bridgewater will likely have to work with a new team to restructure his contract and facilitate a trade,” wrote Getzenberg.
Other options remain that Bridgewater could stay on the roster if he is willing to take a pay cut, serving as a mentor and competition for Darnold again. However, it is unlikely that the team will prefer having the largest cap hit on the team riding pine for an entire season.
Designating him as a post-June 1 release would save the most money. That would translate to $15 million in dead cap with $8 million saved in 2021 and $5 million in dead cap with $21 million saved in 2022.
What’s most probable is that Bridgewater will, indeed, find a new home for 2022.
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When did it all go wrong for the Panthers and Teddy Bridgewater? - Cat Scratch Reader
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