Broncos Move QB Teddy Bridgewater to IR Ahead of Week 18 Finale
Teddy Bridgewater's 2021 campaign is officially over.
The Denver Broncos placed the twice-concussed quarterback on injured reserve ahead of Sunday's regular-season finale versus Kansas City, the team announced Wednesday. The move was a formality after Bridgewater missed the last two games with a brain injury and Drew Lock had already been named the starter for Week 18.
Acquired from Carolina last April, Bridgewater ends his likely one-and-done stint in Denver having completed 66.9% of his pass attempts (285-of-426) for 3,052 yards, a career-high 18 touchdowns, and seven interceptions across 14 appearances — a 7-7 record. He ranks as Pro Football Focus' No. 19 QB among 39 qualifiers.
Bridgewater, 29, is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in March and early projections have forecast the eighth-year journeyman landing $20 million annually on his next contract.
Lock is the only current Broncos signal-caller signed through 2022 with third-stringer Brett Rypien ticketed for exclusive-rights free agency.
Team insiders tentatively expect Denver — which first will retool its coaching staff — to move on from Bridgewater, targeting his successor via trade while also perhaps retaining Lock, who on Wednesday stated his case for full-time starting duties.
"I am confident in myself that I deserve and should be a starter in this league … I do personally believe that if you give me a starting job and let me prep throughout the week that you’ll have a damn good chance to win the football game," Lock told reporters, via Andrew Mason of DNVR.
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