Why the Dolphins Are Being Connected With Bridgewater
Teddy Bridgewater has been relegated to the shadows after the Carolina Panthers acquired Sam Darnold, and at least some folks think there is some kind of possibility he could end up with the Miami Dolphins.
Amid reports that Bridgewater will be given permission through his agent to seek a trade, Pro Football Talk got odds from PointsBet on Bridgewater's next team, and the favorites are his current team, the Carolina Panthers, at plus-150 ($100 bet to win $150).
The reason Carolina is viewed as the favorite is that Bridgewater has $10 million guaranteed in 2021, per spotrac.com, and it's difficult to envision any team being willing to take on that financial commitment.
In all, nine teams were given odds of having Bridgewater on their roster in 2021, and the Dolphins were tied for fifth-best odds (along with the Raiders and Falcons) at plus-800.
This is where we probably should interject by pointing out the likelihood of this happening is wildly remote, if for no other reason than the fact the Dolphins signed veteran Jacoby Brissett this offseason to a fully guaranteed one-year, $5 million contract.
While Bridgewater has a slightly better resume than Brissett (89.1 career passer rating compared to 84.1), the difference isn't significant enough that the Dolphins would just eat the $5 million they gave Brissett just to bring in Bridgewater.
Which means the only way this would happen would be via trade.
And then Bridgewater would have to agree to significantly restructure his contract (read, take a massive pay cut) because there's no way the Dolphins would pay him that kind of money.
Bridgewater also would have to come to terms that playing for the Dolphins would mean accepting a role as a backup because Tua Tagovailoa is practically guaranteed to be the starter in 2021.
Then again, Bridgewater probably has realized by now he won't start anywhere in 2021 after the Panthers acquired Darnold from the New York Jets.
The connection to the Dolphins is obvious because this would represent a homecoming for Bridgewater, who played at Miami Northwestern High School before starring at the University of Louisville, where he played with DeVante Parker.
Bridgewater considered signing with the Dolphins during the 2019 offseason when they pursued him but instead chose to re-sign with the New Orleans Saints to serve as the backup for Drew Brees.
At that point, the Dolphins moved on to sign Ryan Fitzpatrick, who played in Miami for the next two seasons.
Who knows what would have happened had Bridgewater signed with the Dolphins and shined in 2019 the way Fitzpatrick did because maybe it would have convinced Miami he could be long-term answer at quarterback.
But Bridgewater declined that opportunity in 2019, and it's difficult — though apparently not inconceivable — to envision him getting a Mulligan two years later.
