NFL Free Agency 2020: 5 Best landing spots for Teddy Bridgewater
By Samuel Teets
5. New England Patriots
While the Chicago Bears and Tampa Bay Buccaneers may be in play for a quarterback this offseason, those teams did not crack the top five. Instead, New England claims the fifth spot. Let the controversy begin!
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This selection entirely depends on Tom Brady and his relationship with New England’s top personnel. It’s common knowledge he and owner Robert Kraft are close, but head coach Bill Belichick pushed back against trading Jimmy Garoppolo a few years ago.
The shrewd coach generally cuts ties with veteran players before they begin declining. For example, the team traded away Richard Seymour in 2009, Randy Moss in 2010 and Logan Mankins in 2014. Belichick knows when it’s time to let go of beloved veterans.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that New England could offer Brady a $30 million per year contract this offseason. Only six quarterbacks make an average of $30 million per year on their current deals. If New England did offer Brady such a deal, it’s hard to imagine the 42-year-old saying no.
However, if Brady did walk away from New England, Bridgewater could step in and take control of a reloading team under one of the greatest coaches of all-time. A lot of pressure comes with playing in New England, but the Patriots have an astonishing winning tradition, and Bridgewater is a solid quarterback who won’t quibble with Belichick.