Norv Turner: Teddy Bridgewater will be top flight QB

cruzg24

It is what it is
Joined
May 18, 2008
Messages
21,184
Reaction score
209
Teddy Bridgewater was ranked No. 23 among NFL starting quarterbacks in a recent ESPN.com poll compiled with input from 35 coaches and executives around the league.

Raiders quarterback Derek Carr, who was thoroughly outplayed by Bridgewater last season, was ranked four spots higher.

It comes as no surprise that Vikings offensive coordinator Norv Turner scoffs at the rankings, noting that there are only four or five guys he trusts to evaluate quarterbacks.

"The one evaluation we care about is ours," Turner said Monday, via NFL Media's James Palmer. "And based on where we got to last year and where we think we're going, I think we have a top flight quarterback."

Turner added that Bridgewater improved "dramatically" as the season went on, a sentiment backed up by the statistics as well as the game tape.

To be clear, Turner isn't claiming that Bridgewater ranks with the likes of Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, Andrew Luck and Ben Roethlisberger right now.

Rather, he firmly believes Bridgewater will join their ranks once the second-year quarterback fully develops.

Is that a fair assessment?

One anonymous general manager challenged anyone to find an area where Bridgewater projects as above average.

We accept that challenge.

Throughout December, Bridgewater displayed poise in the pocket and a natural feel for pressure to go with excellent touch and top-notch accuracy -- even on deep balls. Those traits aren't going away.

Granted, the coaching staff protected him with play calls suited to his strengths. But it speaks volumes that Bridgewater was one of the NFL's most effective quarterbacks down the stretch with Matt Asiata, Charles Johnson, Jarius Wright and Chase Ford -- not Adrian Peterson, Greg Jennings, Cordarrelle Patterson and Kyle Rudolph.

Bridgewater finished second only to Raiders edge rusher Khalil Mack in Around The NFL's "Making the Leap" countdown earlier this month.

We fully expect him to graduate to the top half of NFL quarterbacks in 2015.

Source: nfl.com
 

BwareDWare94

Where were you when the world stopped turning?
Joined
Jan 26, 2011
Messages
8,989
Reaction score
140
Aside from a bonehead INT here and there (Cutler-like INTs, at that), Teddy is fairly safe with the ball, has great accuracy, and enough mobility to improvise when necessary. He's better than Derek Carr right now. I don't know if that will be the case now that Carr has Cooper/Crabtree at WR instead of James Jones and [insert random 5th stringer here]. At the same time, Teddy has Wallace/Johnson and when you pair that with a solid Jarius Wright and hopefully an improved Patterson, the sky is the limit.
 
Oh, and did I mention that MyCole Pruitt could be a surprise pass-catching TE as a rookie once Rudolph inevitably gets hurt again?
 
AP to hand the ball to. McKinnon for screens and Sproles-esque plays. Now, if only that offensive line can be just good enough.
 

jonathanlambert33

P-ROBlem
Staff member
Global Moderator
Hall of Fame
Joined
Apr 28, 2008
Messages
31,527
Reaction score
876
I don't know about top flight, but I like him.  
 

Teagz

Dogs.
Hall of Fame
Joined
Mar 1, 2011
Messages
18,967
Reaction score
460
Still can't believe he almost slipped out of the first when Bortles went #3.
 
 
That is why bad teams stay bad.
 

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 0, Guests: 1)

Who Wins Game 5?

  • Tampa Bay Rays (Away)

    Votes: 5 33.3%
  • Houston Astros (Home)

    Votes: 10 66.7%
Top