Broncos Mailbag: Was the Teddy Bridgewater trade a steal for Denver? – The Denver Post

Denver Post Broncos writer Ryan O’Halloran posts his Broncos Mailbag periodically during the season. Submit questions to Ryan here.

If it appears right guard Graham Glasgow needs an extended leave, do you think Denver should look for additional offensive line help? The running game never seemed to hit a rhythm against Jacksonville and Teddy Bridgewater was under heat more than I think a lot of people would have expected against the Jacksonville defense.

— Steve, Forks, Wash.

Glasgow missed the Jacksonville game (illness/irregular heartbeat) and coach Vic Fangio said afterward the team is “pretty confident” he’ll be available Sunday against the New York Jets. Second-year player Netane Muti filled in for Glasgow and I booked him for one sack, one quarterback knockdown and one “bad” run block.

As for scouring the league for replacement options, teams stack their practice squads with extra linemen because they are so difficult to find if the depth is depleted. What the Broncos have now is what they will continue to work with.

Regarding the Chiefs and Teddy Bridgewater, don’t you think the key would be Teddy’s ability to keep the Broncos on the field as long as possible? During the first game against the Giants the Broncos were on the field for 35 minutes. Do that against the Chiefs and, yes, you have a chance.

— Larry Woldenberg, Sydney, Australia

Hey Larry, thanks for reading from Down Under. The Broncos lead the NFL in time of possession (37 minutes), more than two minutes more than any other team.

In theory, playing keep away from Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Co., is a good course to beating Kansas City, but the Broncos’ offense needs to get more efficient early in games and on first down because being in third-and-long situations plays into any defense.

What’s been the biggest difference between Teddy Bridgewater’s failure last season in Carolina and his early success this season with Denver?

— Daniel, Westminster

Bridgewater didn’t have running back Christian McCaffrey for nearly all of last year and the Panthers’ offense was meant to go through him.

A few others things: Bridgewater has a good rapport with the Broncos’ coaches, has two good running backs behind him and a good skill-position group of players.

How did we end up with Teddy Bridgewater for just a sixth-round pick? Given the fan and media reaction after the trade, it seemed like we were getting an over-the-hill backup quarterback. That leads me to this question: Where does that leave Drew Lock? He’ll still be a cheap option as a backup next year, but I don’t imagine he’ll be re-signed after that. Do you agree?

— Marshall, Parker

Carolina was looking to trade Bridgewater to get something for him before it outright released him. The Panthers were so desperate, they agreed to pay $7 million of his 2021 salary so the Broncos have a starting quarterback that costs only $3 million on the cap.

The day the Broncos acquired Bridgewater, I thought he would be the Week 1 starter even if they drafted Justin Fields ninth overall that same week.

Where Bridgewater’s play so far leaves Lock is as a backup who is hopefully absorbing everything about Bridgewater’s process of doing things. Yes, Lock would be an inexpensive backup in 2022, but looking ahead to his future in ’23 is premature because Bridgewater has played only two games.

At this rate, do you see Bradley Chubb back with the Broncos next year?

— Bondy, Thornton

Yes, I do because the Broncos picked up his first-year option (2022) earlier this year. Where things get more interesting by the week is what is general manager George Paton’s vision of Chubb for the future?

Paton has maintained that he wants to keep Chubb long-term, talk that is understandable considering the Broncos drafted him fifth overall in 2018.

But if Chubb can’t stay on the field — and he aggravated his ankle injury Sunday after only 19 snaps — Paton’s call may be tougher in terms of what to offer Chubb’s camp after the season.

We have a lot of contracts running out at the end of the season, especially at linebacker, and I can’t see us giving new deals to everyone. Von Miller, A.J. Johnson, Josey Jewell and Malik Reed are all set to be free agents. Who stays? Who goes?

— Carson, Denver

The good news for the Broncos is out of those four players, none are expected to command a back-breaking amount of money. Even Miller won’t sign a six- or seven-year contract because he is now into his 30s.

If I had to project after two games, I would say Miller stays, Reed stays because it’s easier to re-sign him than search for another edge rusher and then neither Johnson or Jewell returns because the Broncos have Justin Strnad and Baron Browning waiting to take over.

Courtland Sutton had a huge game Sunday. Do you think he’ll be just as big against the Jets’ young secondary? I can see Teddy Bridgewater going off for 400 yards against them if he wants to.

— Mike Kim, Littleton

If Bridgewater throws for 400 yards, the Broncos have a problem because it will mean the Jets are competitive.

The goal for the Broncos in Week 3 should be to throw to take the lead and run the football to bleed the clock.

As an 11-point favorite, this is a big game for the Broncos because the Jets are 0-2 with rookie quarterback Zach Wilson, it is the home opener and the schedule gets difficult in Weeks 4-7 (Baltimore, at Pittsburgh, Las Vegas and at Cleveland).

The Broncos need to clean up their special teams play and penalty problems and also get more production early in drives.

Denver Post Broncos writer Ryan O’Halloran posts his Broncos Mailbag periodically during the season. Submit questions to Ryan here.

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