Saints Free Agency: Teddy Bridgewater stays, Alex Okafor leaves New Orleans for Kansas City

Saints backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is staying in New Orleans for another season after all, according to ESPN’s Dianna Russini.

While Teddy Bridgewater listened and did have interest in playing for the Miami Dolphins, he has decided to stay in New Orleans as a backup to Drew Brees per sources

— Dianna Russini (@diannaESPN) March 14, 2019

Russini tweeted Thursday afternoon that Bridgewater made the choice to re-up with the Saints over the Miami Dolphins. He will sign a one-year, $7.725 million contract that’s fully guaranteed, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Read more here.

Although the Saints retained their backup quarterback, the team lost a two-year starter at defensive end to the AFC.

Defensive end Alex Okafor won’t be back in New Orleans for a third season, agreeing instead to a reported three-year deal worth up to $24 million with the Kansas City Chiefs, according to the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Read more here.

The #Chiefs are expected to sign former #Saints DE Alex Okafor, source said. He gets a 3-year deal worth up to $24M.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 14, 2019

SAINTS RELEASE
The New Orleans Saints announced today that they have agreed to terms with QB Teddy Bridgewater. The announcement was made by Saints’ Executive Vice President/General Manager Mickey Loomis.

Bridgewater, 6-2, 215, is a five-year NFL veteran, who was selected in the first round (32nd overall) of the NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings in 2014 out of Louisville. He has appeared in 35 career NFL games with 29 starts, completing 565-of-874 passes (64.6%) with 29 touchdowns and 23 interceptions, also carrying 105 times for 403 yards with four touchdowns. Playing for the Vikings from 2014-17, the Miami, Fla. native served as the Vikings’ starter his first two seasons, capturing NFL Rookie of the Year honors and being named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team in 2014. The following season, he opened all 16 regular season games and completed 292-of-447 passes (65.3%) for 3,231 yards with 14 passing touchdowns and three rushing touchdowns, as he was named to the Pro Bowl and led the Vikings to the NFC North title. After suffering a season-ending knee injury in the 2016 preseason, Bridgewater returned to action midway through the 2017 campaign.

Signing with the New York Jets in the 2018 offseason, Bridgewater completed 28-of-38 passes (73.7%) for 316 yards, two touchdowns and a 104.7 passer rating in the preseason, prior to being acquired by New Orleans before to the final exhibition. He played in five regular season games with one start in the regular season finale vs. Carolina, completing 14-of-23 passes (60.9%) for 118 yards with one touchdown.

At Louisville, Bridgewater won back-to-back Big East Conference titles (2011-2012) and led Louisville to three bowl appearances, winning two – the 2012 Allstate Sugar Bowl over fourth-ranked Florida and the 2013 Russell Athletic Bowl over Miami. In his last two seasons, he guided the Cardinals to a 23-3 record. The school’s all-time completion percentage leader (68.4%), Bridgewater was a second-team All-ACC selection, completing 303-of-427 passes (71.0) for 3,970 yards with 31 touchdowns and only four interceptions. In 2012, he was named the Big East Conference Offensive Player of the Year, completing 287-of-419 passes (68.5 pct.) for 3,718 yards with 27 touchdowns and eight interceptions.