NFL insider says Bucs on the verge of plucking former NFC South nemesis out of high school coaching ranks for another shot in the league
Tampa Bay is close to adding a name they know well to their roster
It appears as though the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are adding to their banged-up QB room with a name that will raise more than a few eyebrows across the country.
According to ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter on Tuesday morning, the Bucs have met with outgoing Miami Northwestern head coach and veteran NFL QB Teddy Bridgewater and are expected to sign him.
Bridgewater has a number of connections to some key individuals currently inside One Buc Place. His former head coach at Louisville, Charlie Strong, is the Bucs’ defensive line coach. Lavonte David and Bridgewater were also both at Miami Northwestern High School together for a short period.
Bridgewater led his alma mater to the state title in 2024 before un-retiring to join the Detroit Lions late last season as a backup. He hasn’t played a down in the NFL since the 2022 season. He’s appeared in 79 games with 65 starts, completing 66.4% of his throws for 15,120 yards, 75 touchdowns, and 47 interceptions.
He has played against the Bucs four times, going 2-2 over that span. His best performance came in a 34-26 win by New Orleans in 2019, when he went 26-34 for 314 yards with 4 touchdowns and an interception. However, Tom Brady and the Buccaneers swept Bridgewater when he was the starter for the Carolina Panthers the following season.
It’s interesting to see what Bridgewater’s role will be in camp – whether that’s a camp body or a real shot at pushing Kyle Trask for the QB2 spot. The Bucs have been dealing with injury issues at camp, with Baker Mayfield dealing with a hand injury and Michael Pratt managing with a back injury that’s kept him out.
Regardless, it’s an intriguing situation to watch unfold, given his experience in the league and the Bucs’ lack thereof behind Mayfield. We’ll see soon enough if he’s still got enough left in his arm to compete for a 53-man roster spot in the coming weeks.
