The Teddy Bridgewater contract negotiations with the Detroit Lions is at an advanced stage and is all but signed, sealed, and delivered.
The backup specialist is set to sign with his seventh professional franchise early next week on a reported ‘maximum’ of $5 million, with half of that guaranteed ($2.5 million).
This stacks up decently against second string QB’s across the NFL rosters, with a comparable deal being that of 49ers backup Sam Darnold.
Eagles QB Marcus Mariota (1 year $5 million all guaranteed) and Panther’s line-caller Andy Dalton (2-year $10 million, $8.2 million guaranteed) are other backups with better deals.
Some number crunching will tell you that the Lions staff see Bridgewater as an able replacement, with the current second-stringer Nate Sudfield on a one-year $1.6 million ($1 million guaranteed) deal.
From a purely number perspective it looks like the former Louisville Cardinals college player is ahead of a chasing pack of backups at the Detroit team.
Does the money make sense given a poor showing at the Miami Dolphins last season? According to sources, the much-experienced Bridgewater is worth every penny.
He may have gone 0-2 with the Miami side last out, but has been a reliable backup since leaving the Vikings in 2018.
It helps that Lions coach Dan Campbell worked alongside the QB at the Saints for two years (2018 and 19). Campbell is on record as saying he admires the work ethic, calling him “a heck of a player.”
He is much admired for working with inexperienced receiver rooms and had the respect of coach and players.
“He would come in a day before the game, and he would take those young receivers out, go through the whole gameplan, tell them what they are looking for …”.
This attitude, and a nine-year career in the NFL, has seen the Lions make a sizable offer to a workmanlike player who gives it everything, both on the park and off it, the latter being a sought-after prize in franchise football.
