Teddy Bridgewater to sign with Carolina Panthers, replaces Cam Newton

The Carolina Panthers didn’t wait long to find their Cam Newton replacement. 

Teddy Bridgewater agreed to a three-year, $60 million deal Tuesday to join the Panthers, according to multiple reports. The agreement was reached shortly after Carolina announced it had given permission to Newton to seek a trade. 

Last year, Bridgewater led the New Orleans Saints to a 5-0 record when Drew Brees went down for an extended stretch with a thumb injury. In those games, he threw for 1,205 yards and nine touchdowns to just two interceptions. 

Now, Bridgewater will join a rebuilding Carolina team that has gone through significant changes this offseason. The Panthers hired former Baylor coach Matt Rhule and moved on from notable veterans like tight end Greg Olsen and guard Trai Turner. 

The deal also marks a successful comeback for Bridgewater. In 2016 with the Minnesota Vikings, Bridgewater suffered a devastating leg injury — tearing his ACL and had other structural damage — that kept him out for a season-and-a-half. When he returned, the Vikings stuck with quarterback Case Keenum.

For the past two seasons, Bridgewater had been in New Orleans, learning under Sean Payton and Brees. The Saints initially acquired him in a preseason trade with the New York Jets, who signed the 27-year-old but moved on after first-rounder Sam Darnold won the starting job.