Looks like Teddy Bridgewater will be back in the NFL after being suspended from coaching at his alma mater, Miami Northwestern High School (Florida).
On Tuesday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are set to sign the veteran quarterback. Bridgewater will visit Tampa Bay today and is expected to finalize a contract with the Bucs, marking his eighth NFL team and third in the NFC South.
Schefter’s tweets provided insight into the Bucs’ reasoning for the move. The first tweet confirmed Bridgewater’s visit and upcoming signing. The second outlined the motive behind bringing him in.
“Tampa needed another quarterback because Buccaneers QB Michael Pratt has been dealing with a back injury,” Schefter tweeted. “Plus, Bridgewater always has been widely respected and a player others want on their roster. Now Tampa adds QB help and another leader.”
Bridgewater brings a wealth of NFL experience, having completed 1,372 of 2,067 passes for 15,120 yards, 75 touchdowns and a passer rating of 90.5. He has a 43-36 win-loss record as a starter.
Bridgewater is expected to serve as the direct backup to starting quarterback Baker Mayfield, similar to his role backing up Jared Goff with the Detroit Lions last season. While Bridgewater likely won’t see much playing time with the Buccaneers, his presence provides valuable insurance.
If Mayfield were to miss time due to injury or other circumstances, head coach Todd Bowles can confidently turn to Bridgewater to lead the offense. This signing makes sense for both the QB and the team.
