With the Jets drafting Sam Darnold and signing Teddy Bridgewater, you would have to say there’s a new day with Gang Green.
In fact, you may have to learn to bet on sports to follow the Jets this season.
Darnold is obviously the quarterback of the future, but Bridgewater may be the surprise this season and challenge Josh McCown for the starting job.
At mini-camp last week, he opened a few eyes, but Bridgewater is just doing business as usual.
“Just being a great leader every day and continue to work on my base,” he said when asked what he has been working on. “When you talk about the playing aspect, just continue to work on my base and be consistent. Being a leader every day and come to work with a positive energy and leading my group while we are out there on the field, along with the other quarterbacks leading their groups, and finishing drives.”
Bridgewater missed all of the 2016 season and most of last season with a knee injury, so you have to wonder how durable he is, but he was able to get back on the field late in the season and was the backup quarterback with the Vikings against the Redskins.
“This game means a lot to me. I’ve been playing football since I was five years old,” he said. “It brought tears to my eyes because it showed me that you are never out of it. You’re never out of the fight. There were dark days throughout my rehab process. So, you know when you are rehabbing, the light seems so far at the end of the tunnel. But being able to see that light and make it to the light, which is being active and standing on the sideline with my gear on, that kind of hit me a little.”
Bridgewater is the low risk and high reward type of signing. If he can get back to 2015 form, then the Jets have a find here and they don’t have to rush Darnold. But if he doesn’t work out, then Gang Green should be fine with their No. 1 pick and McCown.
But McCown is rooting for his new teammate to make it.
“He’s a better guy than people said. I think he’s great to be around,” McCown said. “I’ve heard a lot of great things about him before and he’s even better to be a part of the quarterback room.”
High praise.
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