Chicago Bears (Photo by Nuccio DiNuzzo/Getty Images)
As 2020 NFL Free Agency begins, the Chicago Bears are talking to Teddy Bridgewater.
With the Chicago Bears looking to bring in competition for quarterback Mitchell Trubisky, they are rumored to be in discussions with free agent quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. This is something that’s been speculated leading up to free agency as well.
Many thought that the Bears would be going after guys like Derek Carr or Andy Dalton, however, with chatter regarding the Bears and Bridgewater surfacing, it appears as if the Bears have found their guy to compete with Trubisky.
At just 27 years old, Bridgewater is more than just competiton for Trubisky. He’s going to come in and will likely be the starter, meaning that Trubisky will be the backup. This also give general manager Ryan Pace a chance to save his career with the Bears because he’s been on the hot seat after the Bears finished 2019 with just eight wins.
After starting five games in 2019, Bridgewater has nine touchdowns and two interceptions. He led the New Orleans Saints to five straight wins. He’s proven that he can step up and be the quarterback that the Bears lacked in 2019.
While nothing is official until Wednesday, signing Bridgewater would mean that the Bears have a legitimate chance to win the NFC North in 2020. Head coach Matt Nagy would also be the main driving force behind Bridgewater being one of the NFL’s ascending quarterbacks again.
In terms of financial compensation, Bridgwater is expected to receive nearly $21 million dollars a year. While most may not be a fan of this, in the NFL, if you want a franchise quarterback, you’ve got to be willing to pay a high price.
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Another major thing to understand when it comes to signing Bridgewater is that Trubisky is likely out of the picture. The Bears will likely decline his fifth-year option which would mean that he’s a free agent in 2021.
A former first-round pick in 2014, Bridgewater is familiar with the Bears because he was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings and started before a knee injury derailed his career. After that, he bounced around the NFL, with stops in both New Orleans and with the New York Jets.
If Pace is serious about getting the quarterback position right, then this is his biggest chance to show that he’s ready to all-in and ensure the Bears win a Super Bowl. Adding Bridgewater means that he’s ready to do what’s in the best interest of the franchise.