So I could be crazy wrong, but could they trade Bridgewater before the season starts? Like if he is healthy, and looks OK, what if they could flip him for a 2nd or 3rd? I acknowledge this is probably ridiculous, but that contract could be very friendly for a desperate team that may have missed out on their QB in the draft.
I think that Mac either hasn't totally given up on Hack yet or is too embarrassed to admit that Hack is a bust. Seeing the details of Teddy's contract, also makes me think he's holding onto them in case Teddy isn't healthy or just has too much rust from not playing the last two years and they decide to cut Teddy. In that case, Petty and Hack would fight it out for the #3 job on the Jets and the other will be released.
They could, but I doubt that they would unless the rookie looks like he's ready to go day one. Even then, it would be risky. If McCown gets injured, then that would basically leave the rookie, as Hack or Petty aren't going to see the field except in a total emergency. As it is, they have a year to evaluate Teddy and the rookie and have depth and some security at QB. There's no compelling reason to trade Teddy now. He could wind up being their FQB. Even if they decide to go with the rookie next year, they could possibly get a 3rd round compensatory pick for Teddy if he walks in FA, or they could tag and possibly trade him and get a #1 plus a #3 or #4 draft pick if he plays this season and plays really well.
This is the way I look at it. Say he's beasting it but McCown is still on the roster. A quarterback ALWAYS gets hurt in training camp. Some team will get desperate during the season and call the Jets up. There you go, we regain our second back for next years draft.
If Mac were to do that, he'd be dumber than I thought and negate the good of giving himself 2 chances to get a FQB. There is zero compelling reason to trade Teddy this season. If he's not healthy or has a lot of rust, there's no rush to get him on the field as long as McCown is starting and playing well or if the rookie is ready to play. They can wait and take the whole year to evaluate him. If he gets healthy or scrapes the rust off, the Jets could still need him as a backup or even as a starter. Even if he walks next offseason as a FA, the Jets could possibly get a 3rd round compensatory pick for him. They could also tag and trade him and get a #2 or #1 pick or multiple picks for him, if he winds up starting and playing at a very high level this year.
It has now been finalized. $500k signing bonus, $500k workout bonus, $5 million salary (not guaranteed), $9 million in incentives.
Because if he's healthy, shakes off the rust and plays at a very high level, why would the Jets want to move on from him? They'd have the rookie QB under contract for 4 more years and would have great insurance in case Teddy gets hurt again. If Teddy plays that well, the Jets will be close to a playoff level team, if not a playoff team. The Jets gave him a chance here when no other team wanted him. They might eventually have to trade one or the other of the two QBs if both are looking great in practices and playing well in preseason, but they'd get at least 2-3 seasons out of both.
I respectfully disagree, matt. McCown is liked and respected and knows the offense. He can help both Teddy and the rookie learn the offense and the finer points of the WCO. He can start if Teddy isn't healthy or has too much rust and the rookie isn't ready or they don't want to rush him onto the field. If the OL is still shaky, they can let McCown take the beating rather than Teddy and/or the rookie. McCown and Teddy can not only help the rookie learn a LOT about what it takes to be successful in the NFL and about playing QB, but also be great leaders in the locker room and on the field and help the Jets build the new culture that they're seeking to establish. It gives the Jets real depth and security at QB for the first time since Vinny and Chad. IMO it's worth every penny.
Matt, you don't know that they could have given him $5 million. He played for $8 million last year, and QB salaries have gone up a good bit thanks to Cousins. He could have just retired, then things would be a lot shakier, less secure in terms of the QB position.
I think Bridgewater will definitely suit up. Unless he's just not healthy, and supposedly he was last season, then he will make the team and undoubtedly will beat out McCown once he learns the WCO.
He may not have signed otherwise. He played well for the Jets last season and helped them overachieve. He helped towards establishing a new culture here. With QB salaries going up, I think he deserved to get a little more, and earned the raise.
and Don't bet against it. If he's healthy and once the rust is scraped off, Teddy could easily win the starting job from McCown and earn a future here. I disagree with saying he will never be as good as Cousins. In some ways, Teddy is already better. He may not throw for as many yards as Cousins does, but he doesn't have to in order to be better. Having the best stats isn't what is most important at QB. It's leadership, savvy, playing well under pressure, playing well on 3rd and 4th downs and in the playoffs. We know that Cousins chokes when the pressure is on. He plays worse on 3rd and 4th downs and lost his only playoff game. Teddy could very easily be a much better QB for the Jets than Cousins could ever dream of being. Assuming Teddy is healthy, the Vikings are gonna really be sorry that they released Teddy and went with Cousins.
If Teddy kills it and we end up with two potential QB's, after years of waiting.... that would just hilarious.
^^ I have to agree, if Teddy is healthy, I think he's a better QB then McCown. He could breakout w/ us. Teddy is far better under pressure and doesn't make as many mistakes.
I don't see what's so confusing about it. McCown won't be here in 2019 unless it's as QB Coach. Teddy could still be our starter if it takes the rookie longer to develop or if Teddy plays very well this year. If he plays as well as Teddy can play, the Jets would be nuts to let him walk even with a prized rookie QB sitting on the bench. They would be in a great situation. They could lock Teddy up long term, and still have the rookie under contract for 4 more years. They'd have true depth and security at the QB position for another 1-3 years. Eventually, they'd probably have to trade one of them, but assuming that both played well in practice, stayed healthy, and played great in preseason and regular season action, then they could trade one for multiple picks.
That looks like a great contract for the Jets, and frankly, if Bridgewater is earning his incentives, this probably won't be the worst season we've ever seen.
I respectfully disagree. I don't think the Jets' plan is necessarily for McCown to start all year long and for Teddy to sit on the bench. I think they signed Teddy in hopes that he is healthy and gives them a 2nd real chance at having a FQB going forward. If so, they don't want him sittin gon the bench behind McCown. Whether they have interest in possibly keeping him long term or tagging and trading him next offseason, it's in their best interests for Teddy to start sooner rather than later and see how he plays. Teddy is a much better QB than McCown and not subject to the meltdowns that McCown has. The only questions with Teddy are his health and rust. He also has to learn the WCO. I'm certain that if Teddy is healthy, he will bypass McCown on the depth chart at some point this season.
That's not what you said originally. Based on what I've read, and what I've deduced from Mac's actions, I think the Jets' hope is that Teddy will outplay McCown and will start. They will then know if they possibly have two FQBs on their hands or one for certain. If Teddy winds up starting and plays well, then the Jets will have some great options. They can then re-sign Teddy long term and still have the rookie for possibly another 4 seasons. They'd probably look to trade one of them within 2 years, but that would give them time to decide which one they want to stay with, and would give time to build up the trade value for one or both of them. Further, their plan is to not even give the rookie a chance to win the starting job this season. I think they plan to sit him and let him adjust to life in the NFL, learn the offense, work on whatever he needs to work on in terms of drops, footwork, fundamentals, etc., mature, and learn the finer points of playing QB in the NFL from both McCown and Teddy. Then hopefully, they'll have both Teddy and the Rookie at QB next season and can either sign a cheap FA QB to hold the clipboard or more likely, draft a developmental QB in the draft to eventually serve as the backup after then trade one of Teddy and the Rookie. If Teddy can't beat out McCown, but is healthy and looks pretty good, their rookie looks good this season in practice, and there is no other interest in Teddy next offseason, the Jets could sign him as their long-term backup and be set at QB for the next 10 years.
I think they'll only keep 3. If the rookie looks like he could play in a pinch and Teddy looks healthy, I think Petty gets cut during OTAs or before TC. I think Mac keeps Hack on the PS.
