Teddy Bridgewater is taking much more of a gamble on himself than the Jets are taking on him. The 25-year old quarterback, with plenty to prove, is fine with that.
“I think I’m a very confident guy,’’ Bridgewater said Wednesday. “I believe in myself, I believe in the skill-set I was blessed with, and I’ll just leave it at that. I’m very confident in myself, but at the same time I do want to do whatever I can to help this team win.’’
What he did not express great confidence in, at least publicly, is the health of his surgically repaired knee, an injury that essentially kept him off the field the past two seasons. Bridgewater would not say he will be ready in time for the Jets’ spring workouts and the organized team activity sessions.
“That’s something I’m not comfortable talking about right now,’’ he said. “I’m pretty sure that will be a discussion I will have with the training staff and we’ll come up with a plan moving forward.’’
Asked if his knee is now 100 percent, Bridgewater added, “I’m not gonna give a percentage or anything, but I do believe I’m capable of performing at a high level.’’
There are no guarantees for Bridgewater, other than the $500,000 signing bonus he received. His one-year, $6 million deal (with $9 million in incentives) certainly does not assure him a place on the roster after the summer.
The Jets re-signed Josh McCown to a one-year deal for $10 million, presumably to return as the starting quarterback. McCown, 38, started 13 games in 2017, threw 18 touchdown passes and only nine interceptions and the Jets went 5-8 in his starts. The Jets recently made a bold move, rising from No. 6 to No. 3 in the 2018 NFL Draft in a trade with the Colts, a maneuver designed to take a quarterback.
So, Bridgewater must deal with McCown and the young quarterback stud the Jets take in the draft.
“Being a quarterback or just being an athlete, the ultimate competitor, as a player, I welcome competition because it not only makes you better, it makes the team better,’’ Bridgewater said.
This is a second NFL football life for Bridgewater after his first one was cut short by injury. The Vikings traded up to the No. 32 overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft to get Bridgewater, and one year later he was selected to the Pro Bowl after leading the Vikings to the playoffs.
His progress was thwarted during a practice Aug. 30, 2016, when he went down with a torn left ACL, a knee injury complicated by a dislocated knee joint. Bridgewater missed the entire 2016 season and nearly all of 2017 as well. He was activated in early November last season and got into one game, throwing two passes (the second was intercepted) coming off the bench late in a game against the Bengals.
“There was never any doubt in my mind that I would ever get to that point again,’’ Bridgewater said. “When I first stepped out on that field, for the first time last year, it was a great feeling to just know that everything, all the hard work I put in, all the time and dedication that everyone who was involved in me overcoming what I overcame put in, it was just a great feeling, it was very rewarding to not only myself but to everyone who was involved in everything I went through.’’
About coming to the Jets, Bridgewater said, “I’m very confident in myself, confident in the athletic training staff and the coaching staff here that they can get me back to the player that I once was.’’
There is plenty for Bridgewater to overcome as he tries to convince the Jets, or another team, he is eventually worthy of a long-term commitment.
“The crazy part about that is it isn’t about proving to the people that counted you out or doubted you,’’ he said. “It’s about proving to the people who believed in you, showing them that hey, your prayers, your belief, it all paid off.’’