Buccaneers sign quarterback Teddy Bridgewater

Teddy Bridgewater (Matthew Deery, Wikimedia Commons)

Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is returning to the National Football League. According to Ashlie Abrahams of USA Today on Friday, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have signed Bridgewater to a one-year contract. The financial terms of the deal have not yet been announced.

Bridgewater is expected to backup Baker Mayfield of Austin, Texas in Tampa Bay this season. We do not know yet if he would be the primary backup or the third string quarterback. Tampa Bay also has former Florida Gators quarterback Kyle Trask of Manvel, Texas on their roster. However, Trask does not have much NFL experience, as he has only completed four passes in 11 attempts over the last three years.

Over the last two seasons, Bridgewater has been a backup quarterback to Jared Goff of Novato, California with the Detroit Lions. However, he did not throw a single pass attempt.

The Buccaneers will be Bridgewater’s seventh NFL franchise. In addition to the Lions, he played two seasons with the Minnesota Vikings (2014, 2015, and 2017), the New Orleans Saints (2018 and 2019), the Carolina Panthers (2020), the Denver Broncos (2021), and the Miami Dolphins (2022).

Bridgewater’s best NFL season came back in 2015 with the Vikings when he was selected to the Pro Bowl. Bridgewater completed 292 passes in 447 attempts for 3231 yards, and had 14 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. He also 44 rushes for 192 rushing yards, and three rushing touchdowns.

At the collegiate level, Bridgewater was a standout at the University of Louisville. With the Cardinals, he was the Big East Rookie of the Year in 2011, and the Big East Offensive Player of the Year in 2012.