Teddy Bridgewater: Is he still an option for the Jaguars?

The New Orleans Saints must decide if Teddy Bridgewater is still part of the team’s plan for 2019. If not, are the Jacksonville Jaguars interested in the 26-year-old signal caller?

It cost the New Orleans Saints a third-round draft pick to acquire quarterback Teddy Bridgewater from the New York Jets. If the fifth-year signal caller hits free agency, it will cost the Jacksonville Jaguars or another team more than that to secure his services.

There has been plenty of speculation about the Jaguars and their future plans at the quarterback position, mainly centered around Nick Foles and his future. But the team knows all too well it may not be able to swing a deal for the backup quarterback turn starter and a second option is needed, just in case.

Teddy Bridgewater has been linked to the Jaguars since last offseason when there as talk about a trade of Bridgewater to North Florida for Dante Fowler. The deal was never made and Fowler is now planning for a trip to Super Bowl 53.

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Per Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com [subscription only], there should be plenty of suitors should Bridgewater hit free agency, as he was ranked sixth in the websites top 50 free agents of 2019.

"“Even after three seasons away from the field, Bridgewater still is young enough to be a longer-term starter. His 2018 preseason with the Jets (73.7 completion percentage, 316 yards, two touchdowns) was encouraging,” Seifert writes. “Can his right knee hold up over 16 games? It hasn’t been tested in that way. But almost any quarterback available in free agency comes with at least some drawback.”"

That’s a big question (the knee) only the quarterback can answer.

The Jaguars should part ways with Blake Bortles at some point this offseason, eating $16.5 million in dead cap money. Bridgewater may be fairly inexpensive compared to a deal Foles may seek on the open market. Would he be the team’s backup plan, so to speak?

The Saints are the ones who will determine the quarterback’s fate. Backing up Drew Brees is a pretty sick job to have, but Teddy Bridgewater may want to lead a team of his own once again.

"“If the team likes what it saw in the quarterback, and the reviews from his teammates were all positive throughout the season, one of the things it has to figure out in the coming months is how much it is willing to invest in one position,” writes Nick Underhill of The Advocate."

There will be other options for Jacksonville – namely Joe Flacco, who has a mutual interest in the team. Ryan Fitzpatrick should also be out there. There is a chance someone like Ryan Tannehill might be released by the Miami Dolphins. Andy Dalton could have taken his last snap in Cincinnati.

Are any of these quarterbacks better than Bridgewater? It’s a matter of option and need. Bridgewater’s future in New Orleans may be linked to Brees’ deal with the Saints, which is substantial and worth every penny after the 40-year-old led his team to the NFC Championship game this past week.

"“… seeing what the Saints attempt to do with Bridgewater this offseason will be fascinating. Brees is currently set to count as a $33.5 million hit to the cap — a number that could get lowered — while Bridgewater could also command a significant salary this offseason,” Underhill added."

If Bridgewater is available and a deal with Foles cannot be worked out, who becomes the best option out there? The Jaguars should look long and hard at the quarterback who was in the same draft class as Bortles.

Hopefully he can show his ability to get the Jaguars back to the playoffs and some place no other signal caller has done – the Super Bowl.

Bortles may have taken this team to brink, the question is can Bridgewater get then over the hill and to the top of the mountain?