By The Hudsonian, Joshua Hudson
Transaction: The New York Jets sign QB Teddy Bridgewater to a 1-year deal
2018 Fantasy Outlook: In 2015, Bridgewater was on his way towards becoming a viable starting quarterback in the league. He threw for over 3,200 yards and finished 10th in the league in completion percentage. But outside of RB Adrian Peterson, he didn’t have a ton of viable weapons. Stefon Diggs was just a rookie and Adam Thielen isn’t the Adam Thielen we know today. That’s why the Vikings spent their first round pick in 2016 on WR Laquon Treadwell. Then the catastrophic knee injury happened, Diggs and Thielen became one of the best WR duos in the league, Treadwell bombed like I said he would, and the Vikings lured in QB Kirk Cousins to lead them to a Super Bowl. And with that, Bridgewater needed a new home.
There’s a lot to like about Bridgewater. He’s not going to throw for 30 TDs and 4,200 yards but he’s going to run the offense like a pro, not make mistakes, and lead your team to victories. But he needs weapons around him to maximize his potential. Taking a one year deal with the Jets puts him in a prime position to do just that. He needs to show the league and more importantly himself that he’s healthy and moved on from the devastating knee injury that almost cost him his career.
In New York, Bridgewater will have a nice set of receivers to throw to. Robby Anderson, legal issues pending, has had two respectable seasons, totaling over 1,500 receiving yards and 14.55 yards per reception. The addition of Jermaine Kearse in the deal with Seattle during last year’s training camp was a welcome surprise. The two of them each topped 60 catches and 800 yards. The free agent addition of WR Terrelle Pryor from Washington should help take pressure off the offense in the event Anderson misses time as a result of suspension. They also brought in RB Isaiah Crowell to handle early down duties and still has Bilal Powell and Elijah McGuire in the rotation. Get the man a solid offensive line in front of him — the Jets ranked 30th in the NFL by Pro Football Focus — and Bridgewater could get them contending for the playoffs.
The Jets re-signed incumbent Josh McCown and Bridgewater will presumably compete with him for the starter’s job in training camp. My guess is McCown wins the job by default out of respect for what he did with the Jets last season. I’m not confident in McCown’s ability to hold the job all season. Another obstacle? The Jets traded up to the number three pick in April’s draft to likely draft their QB of the future. Bridgewater may not be long for New York, but if given the chance, he has the opportunity to make some plays and be a viable backup in fantasy. Yes, I said backup. If he gets a chance, it’ll likely be around Week 8 on, maybe earlier. I’m not going out of my way to draft Bridgewater, but I sure am rooting for him.