Teddy Bridgewater divides experts at pro day
Bridgewater completed 57 of 65 passes at his pro day on Monday, leaving experts divided about the quality of his showing.
Joe Robbins
When Louisville quarterback Teddy Bridgewater elected not to throw at the 2014 NFL Combine, it put an even brighter spotlight on his Monday pro day. With all eyes on his throwing session at the Louisville Pro Day, Bridgewater was less than stellar and left experts with varying opinions about the quality of his performance.
With his pro day televised on NFL Network, Bridgewater did not have the perfect, incomplete-free throwing session that many have come to expect from the top quarterbacks in their choreographed workouts. By the count of NFL Network’s Gil Brandt, Bridgewater completed 57 of 65 passes, although he credited two of the eight incompletions as drops.
Mike Mayock on Teddy Bridgewater at Louisville Pro Day: "Most QBs have good Pro Days. Today, I thought it was very average at best."
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) March 17, 2014 Scouts texts me at end of UL pro-day, "Bortles was my #1 QB yesterday & is still my #1 QB today" ..big disappointment in Bridgewater workout
— Tony Pauline (@TonyPauline) March 17, 2014 Kurt Warner said Bridgewater wasn't as accurate as expected. Also needs to improve footwork for #NFL.
— Brian T. Smith (@ChronBrianSmith) March 17, 2014 Overthrow on right out. Fourth miss for Bridgewater. #Texans #NFL https://t.co/ik88gDGihj
— Brian T. Smith (@ChronBrianSmith) March 17, 2014 Also raising eyebrows was Bridgewater’s decision to throw without a glove. After playing his entire collegiate career with gloves on both hands, he threw without gloves at the workout, explaining afterward that he had been training in Florida without one.
Texting w/a coach who's at Pro Day, said Bridgewater's "overall control of the ball" was troublesome. Wondered why he didn't wear a glove.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) March 17, 2014 Still, with so many disappointed with Bridgewater’s accuracy, the sentiment wasn’t unanimous among draftniks. Brandt was one who defended the Louisville passer after the workout:
Not as down on Bridgewater workout as some. Only saw 1 bad throw. Norv Turner told me he thought it was pretty good.
— Gil Brandt (@Gil_Brandt) March 17, 2014 Bridgewater had a few low throws, but I don't count that against his accuray (behind, over receiver). His accuracy was fine.
— Gil Brandt (@Gil_Brandt) March 17, 2014 Twenty-five yarder. https://t.co/DidLHznsbF
— Brian T. Smith (@ChronBrianSmith) March 17, 2014 Bridgewater, himself, admitted that it wasn’t a perfect day of throwing, but told the media after the workout that he was pleased with the overall performance:
"Me being a perfectionist, today was nowhere near where I wanted to be. But overall, I thought I did well." -- Teddy Bridgewater
— Big Cat Country (@BigCatCountry) March 17, 2014
In the latest mock draft from SB Nation's Dan Kadar and Matthew Fairburn, the Houston Texans are slated to select Bridgewater with the No. 1 pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. Texans head coach Bill O'Brien and general manager Rick Smith were among the large crowd in attendance at the Louisville Pro Day on Monday.
Other notable attendees included Jaguars head coach Gus Bradley and general manager Dave Caldwell, Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer and general manager Rick Spielman, Raiders head coach Dennis Allen, Eagles head coach Chip Kelly and Jets general manager John Idzik. Safety Calvin Pryor and defensive end Marcus Smith are other Louisville players that performed on Monday and are expected to go early in the 2014 NFL Draft.
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