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The Denver Broncos have found some competition for quarterback Drew Lock. According to NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero, Denver has acquired former Pro Bowl signal caller Teddy Bridgewater from the Carolina Panthers in exchange for a sixth-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
This has been a trade we’ve seen bandied about for some time now. Bridgewater has been on the trade block throughout the entire offseason. That was taken to a whole new level earlier in April when the Carolina Panthers traded for Sam Darnold.
Bridgewater, 28, struggled big time in his first and only season with the Panthers after signing a three-year, $63 million contract with the team — throwing just 15 touchdowns against 11 interceptions.
He’ll now compete for the starting job with a third-year signal caller in Lock who tied for the league lead in interceptions with 15 a season ago while struggling big time with the Denver Broncos.
Read More: Denver Broncos mock draft: 7-round 2021 NFL Draft projections with trades
Impact of the Denver Broncos acquiring Teddy Bridgewater
Denver has been in the market for a quarterback throughout the entire offseason. At least initially, they were in on Deshaun Watson before allegations of sexual assault were levied in his direction. The team has also been linked to trade-up scenarios in the 2021 NFL Draft for the likes of Mac Jones, Trey Lance and Justin Fields.
By making this rather buy-low move, the Broncos could be kicking their quarterback situation to next offseason. Lock regressed big time as a sophomore after the Broncos made him a second-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. In fact, Denver has not had a franchise-type quarterback since Peyton Manning more than a half-decade ago.
The expectation here is that Bridgewater will restructure his contract to lower his $22.9 million cap hit for the 2021 season. He now reunites with new Denver Broncos general manager George Paton, who was the Vikings’ assistant general manager when they selected him in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft.