Teddy Bridgewater Very Likely to Start in 2018 for Jets

One of the most talked about topics since the 2018 NFL draft has been Sam Darnold being picked 3rd by the New York Jets. Darnold, the Southern California golden child, has been a coveted prospect since high school, and is considered by many a steal in at third in the draft.

While the focus of most of the media attention will be on Darnold, and his chances of starting for the Jets, it should not take away from the fact that the Jets have two other solid quarterbacks on the roster.

The first of which, Josh McCown, is a veteran who started 13 games last year, throwing for 18 touchdowns to 9 interceptions. McCown, however, will be 39 years old when the season starts, and could be at the tail end of his career.

The second QB in the shadows is former Louisville Cardinal and Viking Teddy Bridgewater. Although most media attention would indicate otherwise, Bridgewater has a great chance of starting game 1 for the Jets in 2018.

Bridgewater suffered a gruesome knee injury in practice leading up to the 2016 season, that left him sidelined for nearly two years. His doctors said that there was a chance he might not ever play football again after tearing his ACL and dislocating his knee in a non-contact injury in August of 2016. But in 2017, he made a triumphant return during the waning moments of a late season game.

The Vikings ultimately made a business decision to trade Bridgewater, opting to not bring him back for a fifth-year deal and signing Redskins QB Kirk Cousins. Bridgewater signed with the Jets, who will have him for one year prior to free agency in 2019. Since his arrival, Bryce Petty was released, and  Christian Hackenburg was traded to the Raiders, leaving the Jets with a 3-man quarterback competition.

Although the Jets would ultimately like for Darnold to end up their starter, it seems like Bridgewater has other plans.

Since the start of OTA’s, Bridgewater has impressed spectators, coaches, and players. Sporting a sleeve on his knee, he was been on the money, with fluid timing, looking athletic, and unphased by his injury.

“Bridgewater was the best quarterback on the field on the first day of the Jets’ organized team activities,” wrote Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News.

He looked it too in my estimation:

The players love Bridgewater, and are already embracing him as a team leader, and possible starter.

“The energy that I get from him is that he’s super competitive and he wants to win,” said Jets receiver Jermaine Kearse. “I respect people with a lot of competitive motives. He comes in here every day. He does what he needs to do to get himself right. He’s a pro’s pro.”

According to multiple sources, it looks like the coaches and front office are embracing Bridgewater as a possible starter as well. “My understanding is that Todd Bowles won’t hesitate to start Bridgewater over McCown in the season opener if the former Vikings starter looks great in the preseason and Darnold clearly isn’t ready,” said Mehta.

If Bridgewater continues on the same trajectory coming back from injury, he will be the best option for the Jets come the first game of 2018. He has two full years of starting experience, and led an average Vikings team to the playoffs, and was primed for a breakout season in 2016.

Only time will tell if his knee holds up. But, if it does, the world should be surprised if he isn’t under center in September for New York.