5. Teddy Bridgewater
After filling in for future Hall of Famer Drew Brees, Bridgewater took the reins and won all five of his starts for the New Orleans Saints, including tough road games with the Seattle Seahawks and Chicago Bears. His play was efficient and the former first round draft pick excelled against some serious defenses. Brees probably has a few more seasons left in him, so it’s not out of the question Bridgewater signs elsewhere in the offseason when his contract is up.
Both Brees and Bridgewater are headed for unrestricted free agency in March 2020. What kind of contract can Bridgewater earn on the open market? Starting quarterbacks have seen their salaries climb in recent years just by virtue of being the latest qualifier to get paid, rather than actually being the best player at their position. It’s why the Los Angeles Rams justified paying mediocre QB Jared Goff to a contract averaging $33.5 million per year, and why the Philadelphia Eagles inked Carson Wentz to a $32 million a year deal.
In his time running the Saints’ offense over five games, Bridgewater finished with a passer rating of 103.7 and should have a larger market this offseason. It also sounds like Bridgewater enjoys being a Saint, so the Raiders may have to open up the pocketbook to lure him away from The Big Easy. If they Raiders move in this direction, they’ll get a mobile and consistent signal caller with a first round pedigree for much less than Carr.
