Each week this offseason, we’ll be focusing on one position and how the Panthers may choose to address their needs; whether they’re in the market for an upgrade at starter or just a reliable backup, every player on the 53-man roster is going to be important in 2018.
This is Quarterback Week.
With Derek Anderson’s contract expiring, the Panthers are in the market for a backup quarterback for franchise player Cam Newton. While no team wants to think about what happens if their star player gets injured, it would be foolish not to prepare for the possibility; Abraham Lincoln once said, “Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.” If surviving the regular season and playoffs to eventually bring the Vince Lombardi trophy back to Charlotte is chopping down the tree, then making key decisions in free agency and the draft is sharpening the axe.
While backup quarterback will not be the most exciting position to consider when building the Panthers’ roster, it will become incredibly important should Newton be forced to miss any time at all throughout the season. As we saw this past season, just one loss in Chicago can end up costing you the division crown and a home playoff game; the backup quarterback position is the fire extinguisher you keep under your sink. Hopefully, you never have to use it, but if you’re having to break it out, you damn well need it to get the job done.
While the Panthers may look to their own roster or to some draft prospects for their backup, let’s take a look at a free agent quarterback that might just make perfect sense for Norv Turner, Ron Rivera and the Carolina Panthers.
Steady Teddy
Photo: Ann Heisenfelt/AP
Sure. There are questions. Is Bridgewater fully healthy? Will he be available at the right price? Would he come to another team to be the backup or does he want to compete for a starting job? Would the Panthers even be willing to have their primary backup be a player that hasn’t taken a meaningful snap since 2015? Does new offensive coordinator Norv Turner still believe Bridgewater has the talent of a top-ten pick or is all of that just water under the bridge now? Would the Vikings even let the player who was their quarterback of the future as recently as this preseason leave in free agency with no compensation?
If all the questions swing the correct way, Bridgewater may be just the answer the Panthers are looking for.
The last pick of the first round in 2014 has started 28 games in his career, all under Norv Turner as offensive coordinator; before tearing his ACL and suffering significant knee damage ahead of the 2016 season, Bridgewater led the Vikings to a 17-11 record as a starter with a quarterback rating of 86.3, a full point higher than Cam Newton’s career average, albeit in a smaller sample size.
If Bridgewater were to accept a backup role, the price was right, and he has recovered to his pre-injury level, adding a backup quarterback that was already familiar with Turner’s language and scheme would be an incredible tool for Newton, Rivera and the Panthers; if Newton were to miss time, Bridgewater would be able to guide the ship while the captain missed time.
Other Options:
- Tyler Bray – The Chiefs’ third-stringer might be an unknown, but the 26-year old has outlasted multiple drafted quarterbacks including Kevin Hogan, but may not be a part of the Chiefs plans as they move forward with Patrick Mahomes. Perhaps not an exciting option, but a cheap one that might present some competition for Garrett Gilbert in training camp.
- Brandon Weeden – Another former quarterback that has played under Turner, Weeden has completed 559-of-965 passes for 6,462 yards, with 31 touchdowns and 30 interceptions in his career; last playing in an NFL game in 2015, when he started three games with the Cowboys and one game with the Texans. Again, not an exciting option, but an inexpensive option that already knows Norv’s offense.
- Derek Anderson – If Anderson is willing to come back for cheap, the Panthers may be willing to move forward with Anderson while they allow a young quarterback, be it Gilbert or a 2018 late-round pick, to develop. The key would be Anderson coming back for a low cap number; the Panthers have a lot of needs to address, and they can’t afford to spend a lot of money at backup quarterback.
Other Names To Consider
- Austin Davis
- Joe Webb
- Matt Barkley
- Brad Kaaya
