Last week, Dolphins quarterback Teddy Bridgewater created a stir by declining to share details of conversations with the coaching staff regarding his role in Miami. Bridgewater’s evasive response made some believe that the team brought Teddy to town with the idea that he could eventually supplant starter Tua Tagovailoa, if Tua is either injured or ineffective. On Monday, Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel addressed the situation in blunt, direct terms.
McDaniel said at the league meetings that Bridgewater will be the backup to Tagovailoa, and that the roles have been “explicitly” explained to the two players.
That word -- explicitly -- is an interesting one. It carries with it a hint of exasperation, either with Teddy’s failure to share that information when asked about it or with the media’s obvious conclusion, drawn from Teddy’s possibly strategic discretion.
Bridgewater’s contract says plenty about the situation. He’s got $3.5 million in incentives, in addition to his $6.5 million base compensation package. The incentives acknowledge the possibility that he’ll play.
And he possibly will. Tua has a history of something less than rugged durability. If he’s hurt, they’ll need Teddy. If Tua can’t get it done, they’ll need Teddy.
In the interim, they need Teddy to help sell the idea that he’s backing up Tua. Teddy’s failure to share that which he “explicitly” had been told threw a wrench into the gears, a bit. So McDaniel had to send the message that Teddy didn’t last week.
Through it all, the truth remains that Bridgewater has a $6.5 million base package and $3.5 million in incentives. If he was truly and exclusively a backup, there would be no reason to attach incentives worth more than half the amount he’ll otherwise earn.
