Recently, Pro Football Focus offered predictions on the landing spots for their top 50 free agents. The exercise included the Bucs signing one of the “top” available quarterbacks with their limited cap space. PFF predicts that quarterback Teddy Bridgewater will sign with Tampa Bay this offseason.

Currently, PFF’s Brad Spielberger has Bridgewater commanding a two-year, $25 million contract this offseason. Such a deal would also come with $18 million in guaranteed money. We’ll see if Bridgewater garners that kind of respect on the market. The 29-year old is coming off two disappointing seasons with the Panthers and Broncos. Bridgewater went 11-18 as a starter, tossing 33 touchdowns and 18 interceptions. He also fumbled seven times.

Bridgewater is known as an excellent leader who will win the locker room with ease. However, his ceiling as a starter in the NFL is low. At this point in his career, we know who he is. He’s been a stop-gap starter almost everywhere he’s gone in recent years. With a great roster around him in Tampa Bay, perhaps the Bucs would win a weak division. But there will be a clear lid on their postseason aspirations with Bridgewater at the helm.

Is Bridgewater A Realistic Option For The Bucs?

Right now, the Bucs only have second-year quarterback Kyle Trask on the roster. Blaine Gabbert will be a free agent, and Tom Brady will eventually move to the retired list. Tampa Bay will exhaust all possibilities to land a top-tier quarterback via trade, but the chances are slim. If nothing materializes, it’s reasonable to expect Bridgewater to be on their radar. As Scott Reynolds wrote in a recent column, the veteran quarterback was the Bucs initial target before Tom Brady became an option in 2020.

“In Bruce Arians’ second book with Lars Andersen, which is called “A Season In The Sun,” the Bucs head coach revealed that it would have been Teddy Bridgewater. In 2019, Bridgewater went 5-0 for New Orleans in relief of Drew Brees, who broke his thumb. One of those wins came against Arians and the Bucs that season.

Former Panthers QB Teddy Bridgewater – Photo by: USA Today

“So initially we really zeroed in on Teddy Bridgewater,” Arians said. “He was going to be our primary target.”

Andersen details why Bridgewater was the other target, with the Bucs believing Brees was going to re-sign with the Saints for one final season.

“Bridgewater had started five games for the Saints in 2019, completing 67.9 percent of his passes, throwing nine touchdowns and only two interceptions, and compiling a career-high 99.1 passer rating. Arians loved the fact that Bridgewater rarely threw interceptions: the anti-Winston. Bridgewater was from Miami, Florida, which meant he would be used to playing in hot and humid conditions. And he was an accurate passer, a skill that Arians has long believed can’t be taught once a quarterback has reached his sophomore year or so of college. ‘You either have accuracy as a quarterback by the time you’re about twenty years old or you don’t,’ Arians said. ‘It’s that simple. Sure you can improve a little on it, but not much. Accuracy is the number one most important physical skill a quarterback must have to me. It’s much more important than arm strength.’”

Time will tell if the Bucs still feel the same way. After all, Bridgewater is coming off his second straight disappointing season. He’s two years older, and probably less likely to become the quarterback he was drafted to be. But the Bucs options are few. If they don’t pursue Bridgewater, Blaine Gabbert and Kyle Trask may be the team’s best options this season.