NFL Trade News: Teddy Bridgewater To The Saints, Sam Darnold To Be Jets' 2018 Starting Quarterback

With the way Sam Darnold has performed in the preseason, it felt like only a matter of time before the New York Jets would trade Teddy Bridgewater. The team didn’t wait until their exhibition finale, sending the quarterback to the New Orleans Saints in exchange for a third-round draft pick Wednesday afternoon.

The move all but guarantees two things for the 2018 NFL season: Darnold will be a starting quarterback, and Bridgewater will ride the bench.

Two years removed from breaking his leg in training camp, Bridgewater looked like he was back to his old self in three preseason appearances with the Jets. He was taken with the No.32 overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings and expected to take a leap in 2016 season after leading the team to the playoffs in the previous season.

But Bridgewater, 25, was never going to be a part of New York’s future. He signed a one-year, incentive-based deal in the offseason, hoping to prove himself for a bigger contract elsewhere in 2019. Darnold is the Jets’ franchise quarterback, and he looks ready to play at just 21 years old.

Darnold completed eight of 16 passes for 86 yards and a score when the Jets faced the New York Giants in Week 3 of the preseason. He struggled a little bit in Week 2, though the offensive line didn’t do him any favors. When Darnold had time to throw in the preseason opener, he went 13-18 for 96 yards, a touchdown and a 103.0 passer rating.

With Bridgewater going to New Orleans, Josh McCown will become the Jets’ backup quarterback. The veteran had one of his best seasons in 2017 when he threw for 18 touchdowns, nine picks and a 94.5 passer rating in 13 games for New York.

The only way Bridgewater is going to find any meaningful playing time in New Orleans is if Drew Brees suffers an injury, which isn’t likely since the quarterback has missed two games since signing with the Saints in 2006. Along with Tom Brady, Brees is one of two quarterbacks that has posted a passer rating of 100 or better in each of the last three seasons, and he’s one of the top MVP candidates heading into this year.

New Orleans is one of the top Super Bowl contenders in the NFC. Now that Bridgewater is on the roster, the team could be looking to trade quarterback Tom Savage.