This article is part of our NFL Free Agency series.
It'll be hard to top Monday's one-sided trade between the Cardinals and Texans for shock value, but Tuesday was no slouch in terms of big-ticket NFL news. It started early in the morning when Tom Brady announced his departure from New England, leaving the Chargers and Buccaneers to duke it out for his services. Quarterbacks would end up being the theme of the day, with Brady somehow overshadowed in the news cycle... at least temporarily.
The QB Carousel
- The Panthers released a statement saying Cam Newton has been given permission to seek a trade, hinting at a mutual parting of ways. The veteran quarterback was less than thrilled with the press release, immediately making it clear he'd been forced out of Carolina. It seems like the Panthers and Falcons are fighting a never-ending war on Twitter to see which team can put the most B.S. PR spin on unpopular decisions. It's insulting to the intelligence of fans.
- The Panthers quickly found their Newton replacement in Teddy Bridgewater, who reportedly is signing a three-year, $63 million contract. Given that the team seems to be rebuilding, I figured Bridgewater's contract would be light on guarantees, essentially giving the team an easy out after one season. Well, it looks like I was wrong:
Details of Teddy Bridgewater's contract with the Panthers via ESPN's Dan Graziano via a league source: 3 years, $63 million, $40 million guaranteed first two years, $15M signing bonus. 2020: $8M salary (full guarantee), $250K workout bonus,