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The Kansas City Chiefs have a new quarterback they will see twice a year: it is Teddy Bridgewater, whom the Carolina Panthers are trading to the Denver Broncos for a sixth-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero broke the news on Wednesday afternoon.
The #Panthers are trading QB Teddy Bridgewater to the #Broncos for a sixth-round draft pick, per source.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) April 28, 2021
Bridgewater, 28, joins a quarterback room that already includes local Missouri product Drew Lock, who was their starter last year. ESPN’s Adam Schefter also noted the trade “does not take Denver out of the quarterback market” on Thursday night, in which the Broncos pick No. 9 overall in the NFL Draft. The Panthers will pick No. 8 overall.
The Panthers have decided to make the trade just weeks after acquiring Sam Darnold from the New York Jets. Carolina may still be in the quarterback market, too, as general manager Scott Fitterer has said the organization will wait until after the draft to decided on his fifth-year option.
Here is an update on Bridgewater’s contract structure:
Per @AdamSchefter, the #Broncos are acquiring QB Teddy Bridgewater on a restructured contract. The #Panthers will convert $7M of the $10M guaranteed into paid bonus, leaving a 1 year, $3M fully guaranteed contract for Denver.
— Spotrac (@spotrac) April 28, 2021
CAR clears about $5M of space while adding pick #191
Bridgewater is expected to compete for the Broncos’ starting job — and could enter free agency next offseason. In six NFL seasons, Bridgewater is 26-23, including a 1-1 record against the Chiefs. As a member of the Panthers, he played the Chiefs well in their Week 9 matchup in 2020, going 36 of 49 for 310 yards and two touchdowns.
In that 33-31 loss, the Panthers missed a 67-yard field goal as time expired.