New York Jets: Grading early 2018 free agent signings

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ATLANTA, GA – DECEMBER 03: Teddy Bridgewater #5 of the Minnesota Vikings warms up prior to the game against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 3, 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/Getty Images) /

Teddy Bridgewater, QB

This was a smart acquisition by Maccagnan. He signed the four-year veteran to just a one-year contract to prove he can still be a solid NFL quarterback. Bridgewater is working his way back from a torn ACL injury he suffered in August 2016, a hideous injury that forced him to miss the entire 2016 season. He took just nine snaps for the Vikings last year so he has a ton to prove for his new squad in 2018.

The University of Louisville product is still just 25 years old and made the Pro Bowl in 2015. He posted a 17-11 record with Minnesota and is accurate (65 percent completion percentage). Bridgewater is known for being a good leader and if his surgically repaired left knee can withstand the rigors of league play, the Jets may have found their starting signal-caller of the present and future.

Perhaps. There is risk here. What if his knee does not hold up? It’s just a one-year commitment by the Jets so if he doesn’t play well, they can release him. If he performs well though, Maccagnan runs the risk of possibly losing him to free agency in 2019. Bridgewater will be highly motivated to prove he is still a starting caliber quarterback. His ceiling is still high. He fits New York’s West Coast scheme. It’s a risk well worth taking.

Grade: B+

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