Drew Brees' departure after the 2020 NFL season caused the New Orleans Saints to have a revolving door at quarterback. First, Jameis Winston came to town, but Trevor Siemian and Taysom Hill were forced to start in his place. Then came Andy Dalton, Derek Carr, and several young signal-callers.
This constant shuffling at the position has Saints fans yearning for a semblance of consistency, which they have not had in years. Teddy Bridgewater joined the team in 2018 after a failed stint with the Minnesota Vikings and was a solid backup quarterback in his time in New Orleans.
Unfortunately, he leveraged his 5-0 stretch as a backup during the 2019 season into a full-time starter role with the Carolina Panthers the following year. If he had remained patient, perhaps a starting gig could have been waiting for him, but he chased the money and immediate opportunity.
Former Saints QB Teddy Bridgewater signs with Buccaneers ahead of 2025 season
Bridgewater signing with the Saints' NFC South rival Panthers in 2020 was bad enough. But on Tuesday, NFL Insider Ian Rapoport reported that Bridgewater was signing with another division rival, this time, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
While Baker Mayfield is the established starter, he is sure to challenge former second-round pick Kyle Trask for the backup role. This could put the Saints in a position where they are one injury or freak play away from facing their former quarterback once again.
In 2020, Bridgewater faced the Saints on two occasions and lost both games. He went 4-11 as the starter in Carolina before going 7-7 with the Denver Broncos the following year. However, he has only played in six NFL games since 2021 and started just two.
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Tampa Bay will be the seventh NFL team that Bridgewater has played for since being drafted in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft. This will also be his third team in the NFC South, with the Atlanta Falcons now the lone team in the division not to employ him.
The Saints face the Buccaneers at home in Week 8 before traveling to Tampa Bay for a rematch in Week 14. Plenty could happen between now and then, with the possibilities ranging from Bridgewater starting against New Orleans, all the way to him not making the initial 53-man roster.
Bridgewater was once a solid quarterback for the Saints who could have had a bright future taking the reins from Drew Brees. However, a stint with the Panthers abruptly halted his career, and playing for the Buccaneers might finally do him in.