With just one day to go before the 2021 NFL Draft, the Denver Broncos made a move Wednesday, sending a sixth-round pick to Carolina in exchange for QB Teddy Bridgewater, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

 

The 28-year-old Bridgewater signed a three-year deal with Carolina last offseason. He threw for 3,733 yards and a 15:11 TD:INT ratio in his one year with the Panthers, but became expendable when the Panthers acquired Sam Darnold earlier this offseason. Bridgewater made the 2015 Pro Bowl.

Broncos add a QB, trade for Teddy Bridgewater

Fantasy slant: The biggest takeaway here is draft-related, as it’s hard to imagine the Broncos making this trade if they thought one of the five big-name quarterbacks in the draft was going to fall to them at Pick No. 9. With the first three picks all but guaranteed to be Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson, and one of Justin Fields/Mac Jones/Trey Lance, this appears to make it more likely that the Falcons or Panthers could take one of the others, and/or that one of the teams going before Denver has designs on trading down.

Meanwhile, Bridgewater is likely to compete with incumbent Broncos starter Drew Lock for the No. 1 job in 2021. Neither is likely to be much of a fantasy factor, but the Broncos have enough weaponry that it’s worth paying close attention to this battle to see what it might mean for Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy, Noah Fant and the rest of the Broncos’ offensive weapons. — Daniel Kelley