Teddy Bridgewater has boosted his trade value with a strong showing in the preseason, but the New York Jets may prefer to hang onto him unless a team blows them away with an offer.
Jordan Schultz of Yahoo Sports reported on Tuesday that the Jets have made it known to teams that Bridgewater is available, but they have no problem keeping the 25-year-old quarterback if their asking price isn’t met.
Per league sources, while the #Jets have made Teddy Bridgewater available, they are not opposed to keeping him either, if the return haul is limited. Sam Darnold has often been viewed as “most ready” rookie QB, but the argument can be made that TB gives Bowles best chance to win.
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) August 21, 2018
#Jets’ best move may be to sit tight and potentially gain more leverage on a potential Teddy Bridgewater trade if another team’s starting QB goes down or is ineffective early this season. No rush for Mike Maccagnan to make a move right now.
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) August 21, 2018
Executives I’ve spoken with do not believe the #Jets will trade Teddy Bridgewater right now.
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) August 21, 2018
While all indications have been that the Jets want rookie Sam Darnold to be their Week 1 starter, Bridgewater has been impressive during the preseason. The former first-round pick has completed 17-of-23 passes for 212 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. The Jets also have veteran backup Josh McCown, but QB depth can be extremely important when starting a rookie.
Bridgewater has reportedly generated interest from at least two teams, but most teams aren’t looking for a starting quarterback this close to the season. Unless there’s a significant injury, teams interested in Bridgewater likely view him as a backup. That may keep the price they’re willing to pay too low to entice the Jets.
