Teams That Need to Sign Teddy Bridgewater This Offseason

The New Orleans Saints are 10-3, and still very much in the hunt to finish with the No. 1 seed in the NFC. A lot of the credit should go to household names like Cameron Jordan, Drew Brees and Michael Thomas, but you can make a pretty convincing case that Teddy Bridgewater saved the Saints' season.

Brees was sidelined for five weeks with a thumb injury suffered in Week 2, and Bridgewater came in and led the Saints to a 5-0 record. His numbers weren't eye popping, averaging 241.0 passing yards per game, but he made tremendous strides as the season progressed.

In fact, he's set to become a free agent at the end of the year, and Bridgewater might've played his way into a much bigger contract. With that in mind, here are three teams that should sign Bridgewater this offseason.

1. Chicago Bears

Mitchell Trubisky and the Bears have won four of their last five games. / Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

The Chicago Bears have one of the most loaded rosters in the league, but Mitchell Trubisky's erratic play has held them back this season. While he's played better recently, he only threw five touchdowns and averaged 173.8 passing yards per contest across his first seven games. If Chicago hopes to be a true Super Bowl contender, it's tough to see Trubisky being the answer, and taking a gamble on Bridgewater could take this team to the next level. It can be tough to divorce Bridgewater's play from Sean Payton's dynamic offense, but he averaged 278.3 passing yards per game while throwing seven TDs and one INT over his last three, and would almost certainly be an upgrade over Trubisky. Chicago is also without a first-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft due to the Khalil Mack trade, so going the free agent route might turn out to be more beneficial.

2. Carolina Panthers

Kyle Allen threw two interceptions in Week 14 against the Atlanta Falcons. / Todd Kirkland/Getty Images

Cam Newton's future with the Carolina Panthers appears uncertain and best, and Kyle Allen hasn't exactly grabbed this job by the horns. If Newton leaves, and Carolina decides Allen isn't the QB of the future, the Panthers could be in a bit of a bind. Currently projected to be the No. 12 pick in the NFL Draft, the top-tier passers could easily be off the board by then, leaving Carolina empty handed. Signing a young quarterback like Bridgewater could help Carolina remain competitive in 2020, and he's certainly flashed enough potential to suggest he could be someone's long-term solution at the position.

3. New Orleans Saints

Drew Brees threw for 349 yards and five touchdowns against the 49ers in Week 14. / Michael Zagaris/Getty Images

Even if Bridgewater has played his way into a hefty raise, New Orleans would be wise to give it to him. Brees is going to be 41 years old by the time next season starts. While he's still playing at a high level, the injury showed there could be a few cracks in his armor, and Bridgewater is one of the league's best contingency plans. If these two can agree upon a number that doesn't hamstring the Saints' ability to field a competitive roster, staying another year in New Orleans could make a lot of sense for both sides long-term outlook.

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Max Staley is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Max Staley also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username mstaley1212. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.