How a Potential Teddy Bridgewater Trade Impacts the 49ers
The clock is ticking on Teddy Bridgewater's tenure with the Panthers.
Bridgewater is assuredly on the way out now that Carolina has acquired Sam Darnold from the Jets. Getting a suitor for Bridgewater is going to be tricky. His cap number in 2021 is roughly $23 million with $10 million guaranteed. And while he can be cut with zero consequence in 2022, the immediate impact on the salary cap is the concern with him.
For a guy who is a teetering average quarterback, it is going to be a hard sell for the Panthers. They're surely going to look to recoup a bit of what they gave up for Darnold. Regardless, Bridgewater is going to be dealt and his potential trade will have an impact on the 49ers.
The Panthers and 49ers are in similar situations.
They have a veteran quarterback who is highly paid and average. If the Panthers gave up a 2022 second-rounder for Darnold, which is really the only significant pick surrendered, then they will be lucky to get JUST a mid-round pick for Bridgewater.
Darnold is much younger than Bridgewater and has been dealt one of the worst hands a quarterback has had entering the league. There is some intrigue of his potential to poach if he is with the right coaching staff and talent around him. Bridgewater, however, is already capped. He is a capable starter, but you know you are not going far with him. And his contract is hefty.
Whatever the Panthers get for him, that is what will set the bar for the 49ers to trade Jimmy Garoppolo.
Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch have remained adamant that they need a deal to "wow" them if they were to move Garoppolo. Meaning, they would want a first- or a second-round pick for him. Of course, they are likely looking for that high draft pick to recoup the capital they just gave up to move to third.
The 49ers are going to have to come to grips with that possibility being slim because whoever is going to try acquire Garoppolo is going to use the Bridgewater trade against him.
Bridgewater and Garoppolo have similar cap hits in 2021. Garoppolo may be the slightly better player, but what good does that do when a team inquiring about him will use his injury history against the 49ers. At least they know Bridgewater has been steady without concerns.
Should the 49ers look to actively pursue a package to send Garoppolo away, which I believe will be the case come the draft, then they are going to have to play with the compensation the Panthers receive for Bridgewater.
That trade is going to have an impact on how the 49ers conduct dealings.
