So what's wrong with Bridgewater?

[Proudiddy]

I appreciate you wanting to give him an easy, respectable out, but he's been thr same guy all year.  He's had a couple of good moments and maybe even a couple of good games, but he is what he is and what he has been.  A great locker room guy, awesome human being, and a backup QB.

[LinvilleGorge]

4 minutes ago, BrianS said:

We really gotta stop looking at the money like we paid him franchise money.  The fact is that he is the lowest paid veteran starter in the league.  He's the 19th highest paid QB, at 20 ish per season . . . but the two guys below him are Taysom Hill and Joe Burrow @ 10 and 9 per season.

Teddy isn't "the answer", and with a contract we can easily get out of after next year, I think we already knew this.  Sure, Panthers PR and some media want to spin it different just to keep interest in the team, but I don't think that was ever reality.  He's not the man.  He's just warming the seat for the man.

But we hampered our ability to put the right pieces in front of and around "the man" by giving Teddy that $$$. He's going to hit us for at least another $23M against the cap after this season whether he's here or not. $23M doesn't get you much at the QB position, but it gets you a lot elsewhere.

[KSpan]

8 minutes ago, Mr. Scot said:

As much of a Hurney critic as I am, this time that's not the case.

There was another team that had an offer on the table for him (I forget who, might have even been the Patriots) but we came in at the last minute with a better one.

And while Marty was involved, it felt like Brady and Rhule were pushing this one more than he was. Rhule mentioned CB Coach Evan Cooper as another guy who pushed for him.

It was the Bears and Teddy had no interest in competing for a starting job if he could avoid it. 

https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/bears/bears-reportedly-contract-negotiations-teddy-bridgewater#:~:text=Bridgewater completed nearly 68% of,exceed %2421 million per year.

[Mr. Scot]

Just now, Proudiddy said:

I appreciate you wanting to give him an easy, respectable out, but he's been thr same guy all year.  He's had a couple of good moments and maybe even a couple of good games, but he is what he is and what he has been.  A great locker room guy, awesome human being, and a backup QB.

This isn't an "easy, respectable out". The fact that he doesn't have what it takes to be a full season starter isn't a positive.

This is an analysis of why he is where he is. And while I know some people's analysis of him is never going to rise above the level of "he sucks and I hate him", it's not that simple.

Bridgewater was genuinely playing well enough for us to win some games early, even some of the games we didn't.

Now, not so much.

And yes, there is a reason more complicated than "he sucks".

[Mr. Scot]

Just now, KSpan said:

It was the Bears and Teddy had no interest in competing for a starting job if he could avoid it. 

https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/bears/bears-reportedly-contract-negotiations-teddy-bridgewater#:~:text=Bridgewater completed nearly 68% of,exceed %2421 million per year.

That's it. Thanks.

[Proudiddy]

19 minutes ago, LinvilleGorge said:

LOL! McCown also had journeyman contracts. He only made $10M in one season. He had 7 seasons earning less than $1M. My biggest issue with the Teddy signing was the contract. I honestly still think we were basically bidding against ourselves. I'd have a hard time being convinced the other suitors didn't tap out well before the $20M per range.

I thought I read the Bears had a similar offer out there, but Teddy chose us over them bc he wasn't guaranteed the starting job and would have to compete with Trubisky for the starting job.  Lol imagine not taking that gig bc you're worried you can't beat out Trubisky.  That should've been a red flag right there.

[Paa Langfart]

The guy doesnt have much pass protection and knows it now.  Got hurt badly early in his career and after all the hits thus far and another injury or two this season is remembering it unfondly, and is David Carr ing on us.  

[Proudiddy]

2 minutes ago, KSpan said:

It was the Bears and Teddy had no interest in competing for a starting job if he could avoid it. 

https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/bears/bears-reportedly-contract-negotiations-teddy-bridgewater#:~:text=Bridgewater completed nearly 68% of,exceed %2421 million per year.

Thank you...  I just mentioned this in my post, but didn't have the article or remember where I read it.

[LinvilleGorge]

3 minutes ago, KSpan said:

It was the Bears and Teddy had no interest in competing for a starting job if he could avoid it. 

https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/bears/bears-reportedly-contract-negotiations-teddy-bridgewater#:~:text=Bridgewater completed nearly 68% of,exceed %2421 million per year.

Teddy's agent may have used the media to play us. The only way the media is getting figures is if the agent leaks them as a negotiating ploy. There's likely to be some significant "fluff" in that leakage. I don't think you give a guy $21M to "compete" for the starting job. They ended up paying Foles $8M per. That's a lot more in line with a "compete" contract.

[Malt Liquor]

Plan and simple he is not a terrible Quarterback. He is just simply a backup Quarterback.

[Mr. Scot]

1 minute ago, LinvilleGorge said:

Teddy's agent may have used the media to play us. The only way the media is getting figures is if the agent leaks them as a negotiating ploy. There's likely to be some significant "fluff" in that leakage. I don't think you give a guy $21M to "compete" for the starting job. They ended up paying Foles $8M per. That's a lot more in line with a "compete" contract.

There was another more recent article that had more information about the process, including some quotes from Bridgewater himself if I remember correctly.

I don't remember if it included specific figures though.

[KSpan]

1 minute ago, LinvilleGorge said:

Teddy's agent may have used the media to play us. The only way the media is getting figures is if the agent leaks them as a negotiating ploy. There's likely to be some significant "fluff" in that leakage. I don't think you give a guy $21M to "compete" for the starting job. They ended up paying Foles $8M per. That's a lot more in line with a "compete" contract.

Even if the Bears weren't presenting it as a competition having a former #2 pick in the roster is an omnipresent factor. Even if Carolina got played I think Teddy preferred a situation where he would clearly have the job, which to be fair most players would likely prefer.

[Proudiddy]

3 minutes ago, Mr. Scot said:

This isn't an "easy, respectable out". The fact that he doesn't have what it takes to be a full season starter isn't a positive.

This is an analysis of why he is where he is. And while I know some people's analysis of him is never going to rise above the level of "he sucks and I hate him", it's not that simple.

Bridgewater was genuinely playing well enough for us to win some games early, even some of the games we didn't.

Now, not so much.

And yes, there is a reason more complicated than "he sucks".

I haven't distilled any of it down to the simplicity of what you're saying here, Scot.  Yes, I posted a thread titled "Teddy Sucks" and therein I explained why I posted the thread and all of the reasons Teddy was not a franchise QB.  I've offered plenty of explanation over the last few weeks, not blanket statements.  And again, bringing up someone saying a player "sucks" as the literal end all, be all of their argument is a cop out to dismiss the merits of why they would say such a thing.

And it is an easy out to excuse him by saying he's fatigued and beaten up, rather than acknowledging this is who he always was and this is how he plays.  Now, his play is affected by numerous variables such as his surrounding team and staff, but his style of play has been consistent and obvious to anyone who has watched him since he was in college...  but, you are entitled to your opinion.

[JawnyBlaze]

Nope. His first two games were bad, followed with a few so-so games and a couple good games, and then more bad games. It wasn’t like he started off hot and has been steadily declining. He just isn’t good. He can put up numbers against bad teams when everything is going well, but if he faces difficulty he falls apart.

That’s 

not

good