NEWSLETTER
There’s been plenty of discussion surrounding the Broncos’ present need at quarterback, but not much connected to the idea of taking one with the ninth overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. And executing a trade for quarterback Teddy Bridgewater exactly one day before the draft makes it even less likely.
The #Panthers are trading QB Teddy Bridgewater to the #Broncos for a sixth-round draft pick, per source.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) April 28, 2021
This deal comes one year after the Panthers signed Bridgewater to a sizable multi-year contract, not entirely unlike Mike Glennon’s deal with the Bears a few years ago. It also comes a year after the Bears sent a fourth-round pick for Nick Foles, a similar type of quarterback heading into essentially the same situation (like Foles in Chicago, Bridgewater will arrive in Denver to push (or overtake) an incumbent draft pick).
But now let’s discuss the broader draft (and, more narrowly, Bears) implications, which could be significant.
Trading for Bridgewater while creating an in-house QB competition in Denver very likely takes the Broncos out of the mix when it comes to drafting a quarterback with the 9th overall pick. I won’t say it takes them out completely. Indeed, Adam Schefter explicitly said it does not take them out of the first-round draft market for a QB. But that rumored interest in this QB class feels like a leverage play and a hint to teams hoping to trade up to come hard with the offers.
So, yes, the Bridgewater trade ultimately makes Denver an obvious trade-up target, but perhaps only if one of the top-tier quarterback falls to that spot. This feels like a situation in which the Broncos think they can trade their spot to a team who wants a QB (Fields? Lance? Jones?), which is smart on their part if they don’t like any of those options. There’s nothing like adding to draft capital if you can get it.
As for the Panthers side of things, trading Bridgewater could open them up to drafting a quarterback. Carolina traded for Sam Darnold, but have yet to pick up the fifth-year option on his rookie contract. It’s conceivable that the Panthers would draft a quarterback who sits behind Darnold until he proves unworthy of keeping his post. Perhaps that’s a spot where Justin Fields goes? Maybe Trey Lance is a fit there, too. In any case, we could see quarterbacks going with the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 8th picks. And if Denver has its way, perhaps with the 9th pick being made by a team that gives up a boatload of draft capital to move into the top-10. Maybe someone like the Bears (unless ownership stops that before it happens).
Michael Cerami contributed to this post.
