The Carolina Panthers have been a much more competitive football team than they were expected to be by many. Following their tough Week 7 loss to the New Orleans Saints, the Panthers hold a 3-4 record. Teddy Bridgewater has looked good as the franchise’s new starter thus far.
Bridgewater was signed in free agency and replaced longtime face of the franchise Cam Newton. It was a controversial finish to Newton’s impressive tenure with the team, but a change that needed to be made.
Through the first seven weeks of the 2020 NFL season, Bridgewater has put together a solid performance. He has racked up 1,930 passing yards to go along with eight touchdowns and five interceptions. Bridgewater has been sacked 12 times this season.
After an impressive stint as the starter for the Saints last season following an injury to Drew Brees, Bridgewater proved that he was worthy of starting once again. The Panthers made the decision to bring him in on a three-year deal. Bridgewater and first-year NFL head coach Matt Rhule have been turning things around for the Carolina offense.
Granted, there are still some things that Bridgewater needs to work on. He has made some bad throws that resulted in interceptions. That will happen with any quarterback, but there is plenty of room for him to continue improving.
At just 27 years old, Bridgewater is still a young quarterback. He lost some time following a gruesome knee injury. When he was injured, Bridgewater was considered one of the top up-and-coming stars in the NFL.
While there are some things that Bridgewater can clean up and improve moving forward, the Panthers have to be happy with what they have seen. They have a true franchise quarterback that they can build around for the future.
All of that being said, just how good has Teddy Bridgewater been this season for the Panthers? What grade does he deserve for his play through the first seven weeks?
We are giving Bridgewater a B+ grade for his performance so far. He has looked good, but still has some work to do. In his first season as a full-time starter since 2015, no one can be upset with his level of play.
Bridgewater will continue improving as the season progresses. His three-year deal with the Panthers gives him plenty of time to become a star.
Expect to see the Panthers continue to improve and get better with Bridgewater leading the way. They weren’t supposed to compete much this season, but have proved the doubters wrong. Bridgewater is the right guy to lead this franchise moving forward and the future is bright.
