Teddy Bridgewater's falling stock.

Now the talk is that Teddy Bridgewater could fall to the 2nd round | CBS Sports

As a junior at Louisville, Teddy Bridgewater completed 71 percent of his passes for 3,970 yards, 31 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. Back in January, he was widely considered the the best draft-eligible quarterback, and maybe even the best draft-eligble player.
Now, after a disappointing pro day for Bridgewater and way too much time for the rest of us to think about what that means, we're talking about him as a second-round pick. Even NFL Network's Mike Mayock, one of the most respected draft experts around, dropped Bridgewater from No. 1 in his QB rankings from early March to No. 3 following Bridgewater's pro day (even though Mayock emphasizes all the time that pro days aren't the end-all, be-all evaluation tool).

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If he falls to #29, I'm honestly convinced that he's the best player on the board and the Pats need to grab him. Mallett is gone next offseason more than likely and at 37 Brady in unfortunately close to the end of his career as well. I've watched Bridgewater in detail since the beginning of the 2012 season and I watched him shred one of the best defenses in college football while looking cool, calm, and collected on a national television stage and BCS game. You can also look at his career numbers in college and, based off of that alone (if you haven't seen him actually play) tell that he is a good decision maker who, like Brady, generally tries to avoid the riskier that often lead to turnovers. He had a bad pro day in which he was overthrowing receivers but anybody that has watched this kid knows that's not him. If he's there at #29, other needs be damned, take the back-up QB and the potential future of the franchise. Let him sit behind Brady for a few years, learn the playbook, and build his body up to get ready to start then worry about other needs starting in the 2nd round.

Oh, and I posted this here to get more responses on the topic. There is plenty of quarterback talk in the draft forum but, unfortunately, not a whole lot from the main forum travel over that way. With the Pats working out quarterbacks this year, it feels as if this is an appropriate thread to drop here for a guy who, if he had come out this time last year, would have been a top five pick and *maybe* could have gone #1 overall.

KontradictioN said:

Oh, and I posted this here to get more responses on the topic. There is plenty of quarterback talk in the draft forum but, unfortunately, not a whole lot from the main forum travel over that way. With the Pats working out quarterbacks this year, it feels as if this is an appropriate thread to drop here for a guy who, if he had come out this time last year, would have been a top five pick and *maybe* could have gone #1 overall.

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I do not think Bridgewater will slide all the way to #29; he will not go past the Browns at #26. If he were to, I would trade the pick to an Oakland, Jacksonville, or another QB needy team in the second round and try to pick up the extra draft choices. If you take Bridgewater, he would sign a 4-year deal, which means he would enter UFA after the 2017-18 NFL season, which is the same offseason Brady’s contract expires, and many expect him to retire.

For any of you that didn't watch him in college, here is some viewing for you...

Brady6 said:

I do not think Bridgewater will slide all the way to #29; he will not go past the Browns at #26. If he were to, I would trade the pick to an Oakland, Jacksonville, or another QB needy team in the second round and try to pick up the extra draft choices. If you take Bridgewater, he would sign a 4-year deal, which means he would enter UFA after the 2017-18 NFL season, which is the same offseason Brady’s contract expires, and many expect him to retire.

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Mayock and other analysts are disagreeing with you with regard to where he's going to fall. Doesn't mean they're right but his stock was dropping before his pro day anyway. In response to his and Brady's contracts, the team needs a back-up quarterback anyway and I can't think of a better guy to take over the job from Mallett when he leaves than Bridgewater. If it comes to that, the team can always re-sign him when Brady's contract expires and hand him the reigns to the franchise.

I don't see Bridgewater falling to 29. But if he does, I might want the Pats to trade out of that spot. I think the trade partners for a Bridgewater pick at 29 would be coming fast and furiously.

Summing up Bridgewater's game IMO:

He's one of the best decision makers to come out of college in a long time. He's also clutch, playing his best in the biggest games.

He's falling because of a nonsense proday, a skinny frame, and a lack of top arm strength. Brady proved you can fix a skinny frame and improve arm strength over time.

I'd take him at 29. Even if he sat 4 years behind Brady, he'd only be 25 and we could use the 5th year option on him.

Rob0729 said:

I don't see Bridgewater falling to 29. But if he does, I might want the Pats to trade out of that spot. I think the trade partners for a Bridgewater pick at 29 would be coming fast and furiously.

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I wouldn't trade out of a spot where I have the opportunity to pick up a potential franchise quarterback that just fell in my lap for after Brady hangs them up in a few years, but that's just me. As for whether or not he lasts until #29, we'll see. It's a long time until the draft still.

KontradictioN said:

I wouldn't trade out of a spot where I have the opportunity to pick up a potential franchise quarterback that just fell in my lap for after Brady hangs them up in a few years, but that's just me. As for whether or not he lasts until #29, we'll see. It's a long time until the draft still.

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I'm not as high on Bridgewater as you are. I think he may be a best of this bunch of QBs, but I find this QB class a bit overrated. But he could be another Aaron Rodgers who started the process as the #1 QB and likely #1 pick and dropped to a late first round pick.

It would be an interesting pick for sure, call it denial, but I am not ready to look for Brady's replacement yet. This year should be about finding a back up to replace Mallet before he leaves. There is time the next few years to start the search for Brady's replacement not yet though.

That said it would be a very exciting pick for a day or two then hopefully we wouldn't see him for years.

Here's the problem with Bridgewater, and its NOT the bad pro day.

1. Most important is the position he plays. Tom Brady is going to be the starter here for the next 3 seasons. It makes no sense to pick a player who is unlikely to see the field for 3 years with a #1 pick. C'mon guys Lets be reasonable here.

2. The Pats have needs in other areas that would preclude taking a player, even one who would be worthy of the pick, that you'd have no expectation of contributing other than holding a clip board and keeping TB company at the QB meetings. DT, TE, DB, OL, etc. Hell, I'd take a WR at 29 before I'd take a QB.

3. While I don't care about a bad pro day, I still have some reservations about Bridgewater's size and body type. He isn't skinny like TB in 2001. This guy is Twiggy skinny. Well OK that was hyperbolic, but you know what I mean. This kid is carbo loading just to get to 200. Its not a major reason to discount him, but one nonetheless....especially for a team with the Pats current QB situation.

4. What do you do with Ryan Mallett. BB obviously thinks he's a capable back up. If you keep him for another year, and he leaves, you at least have a great shot at a high comp pick. If you pick Bridgewater at 29 you'd be either forced to release Mallett, trade him for a low round pick, or have Bridgewater be the #3 QB for a season.

Teams would never trade for a QB, when they know a team eventually has to release him. At best it would be a very bad "seller's market".

5. Next year will be the time to start considering drafting Brady's replacement. Newsflash - QB's WILL be available. But for THIS year, anything before the 6th round would be too early to pick up a QB, IMHO

signbabybrady said:

It would be an interesting pick for sure, call it denial, but I am not ready to look for Brady's replacement yet. This year should be about finding a back up to replace Mallet before he leaves. There is time the next few years to start the search for Brady's replacement not yet though.

That said it would be a very exciting pick for a day or two then hopefully we wouldn't see him for years.

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I have to agree with you SBB - it"s just too soon to look to replace TB. To use a #1 on a guy that is free falling that wont be playing for three years, at best, just seems like a waste of a #1.

I have no problem drafting a QB in the 3rd or 4th round, maybe even the 2nd is someone reslly falls - just not a #1.

A #1 should be able to step right in and while maybe not be a day one starter, certainly contribute significantly in his first year.

Rob0729 said:

I'm not as high on Bridgewater as you are. I think he may be a best of this bunch of QBs, but I find this QB class a bit overrated. But he could be another Aaron Rodgers who started the process as the #1 QB and likely #1 pick and dropped to a late first round pick.

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It's not anywhere near as good as next year's class but I don't see any way a potential franchise quarterback falls into New England's lap while Brady is still here. If this team is about BPA and Bridgewater is there, they need to take him.

signbabybrady said:

It would be an interesting pick for sure, call it denial, but I am not ready to look for Brady's replacement yet. This year should be about finding a back up to replace Mallet before he leaves. There is time the next few years to start the search for Brady's replacement not yet though.

That said it would be a very exciting pick for a day or two then hopefully we wouldn't see him for years.

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fgssand said:

I have to agree with you SBB - it"s just too soon to look to replace TB. To use a #1 on a guy that is free falling that wont be playing for three years, at best, just seems like a waste of a #1.

I have no problem drafting a QB in the 3rd or 4th round, maybe even the 2nd is someone reslly falls - just not a #1.

A #1 should be able to step right in and while maybe not be a day one starter, certainly contribute significantly in his first year.

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Brady is 37 years old and the Pats will more than likely enter 2015 without a back-up. Drafting the best quarterback available if he falls into their lap would seem to make pretty good sense.

I'm basically with Kontra on this one, at Brady's age it's never too soon to draft The Guy as long as they feel really good about him. Brady almost certainly will be gone in a few years and getting a pro bowl potential QB isn't that easy unless you take a tank year like the Colts. My preference is to draft a QB in rounds 3 or 4 this year and see what they look like 12 months from now. But if they love Bridgewater and he falls, don't look a gift horse in the mouth.

Ken - we wouldn't cut Mallett. It might make him more tradeable but it's not optimal to have a rookie backup QB so keeping all three would work; as I expect us to when we draft a QB at some point this draft.

KontradictioN said:

It's not anywhere near as good as next year's class but I don't see any way a potential franchise quarterback falls into New England's lap while Brady is still here. If this team is about BPA and Bridgewater is there, they need to take him.

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But if next year's draft class is going to be better and you can get a better QB in the 2015 draft than Bridgewater why wouldn't you try to trade down to a team that is drafting high in the second round and potentially get their this year second rounder and next year's first. If they are drafting high in the second round this year and getting a rookie QB, odds are good they will be drafting high in the first round next year.

This year's draft is deep. Possibly the deepest in years. I would rather trade back and gamble they can get an even better QB next year in the first round and get another solid player this year rather than take Bridgewater who has question marks just because he fell to 29.

KontradictioN said:

Mayock and other analysts are disagreeing with you with regard to where he's going to fall. Doesn't mean they're right but his stock was dropping before his pro day anyway. In response to his and Brady's contracts, the team needs a back-up quarterback anyway and I can't think of a better guy to take over the job from Mallett when he leaves than Bridgewater. If it comes to that, the team can always re-sign him when Brady's contract expires and hand him the reigns to the franchise.

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I actually think Bridgewater would be an excellent QB in our system I just am concerned about the logistics of him being a UFA potentially before he even starts a game for us.

There's this implicit assumption that there's going to be a franchise QB waiting to be drafted by the Pats at the exact moment they happen to know Brady is about to be done. This seems very unrealistic to me and it also ignores the reality that there are years, sometimes multiple in a row where no franchise QB comes out of the NFL draft let alone at a spot where the Pats will be able to pounce. If Bridgewater is there imo the Pats should take him if they are high on him (I certainly am).

Rob0729 said:

why wouldn't you try to trade down to a team that is drafting high in the second round and potentially get their this year second rounder and next year's first.

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Not to sound like I'm agreeing with everyone - that is actually my dream, as I've expressed on the Draft Board, to get back to two #1s next year. We won't get a high #2 and 2015 #1 but for a mid-low #2 and their #1 I'd be all over it. I desperately want to get back to two #1s and would take almost any opportunity to do it.

However, if trades aren't in the equation, I would still take Bridgewater if he's ranked high by the Patriots.

As for 2015, we'll see how the QB work out. Winston, Mariota, Hundley, they're fascinating but Winston doesn't impress me and the other two are "new age" QB who could go either way. I say that as a Duck fan, I love Mariota but he's "unusual" as NFL QB go and I have no idea how he'll do.

The Pats are going to need a new starting QB at some point in the next few years, but I don't think taking him ~4 before you need him is the solution. And if the Pats were going to take a QB and sit him for 4 years, I think there's better value in taking a Mallett type that needs accuracy and footwork improvement rather than a guy like Bridgewater who is small and will always be small. I mean, Brady is currently listed 14 pounds above his combine weight, and that works for him. Bridgewater supposedly gained 26 pounds between the end of the season and the combine and is still small. I can't imagine there's a whole lot more growth potential there.

As for the QB position in general, give me a day 3 pick to be the #3 for a year. If that guy isn't ready to be the #2 in a year, then take another guy in the 3rd or something in 2015. Save this heir stuff for the 2016 draft.

And I know it's scary to think about, but will Belichick be around for the first Brady-less season? If not, then I'd rather let the new HC hand pick his own QB than leave him with a fifth year guy who has (hopefully) never started and may or may not fit what he wants to do on offense.