Teddy Bridgewater

[King James]

Gotta say: In the tape that I've watched of Bridgewater, his pocket presence is impressive.

I hadn't heard about his having small hands until it was mentioned here, but while watching him throw I couldn't get over the feeling that he looked like a high school kid throwing a ball that was a little too big for him. Maybe it's the hands, but he also has an odd throwing motion, with a bit of a wind up. Definitely not a compact throwing motion. I hope it translates well to the NFL.

Yeah the ball does look a little big for him, but that's why he wears the gloves. I know first hand that wearing gloves make the ball easier to grip. Yet he still manages to put the ball where his WRs can only catch it. I think his game throwing will translate well. He's gonna let that ball fly when he has to.

[Texas Vike]

Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater said in an interview Tuesday on "The Dan Patrick Show" that he wouldn't have wanted to play for the Cleveland Browns had he been drafted by the team.

Asked whether there was a possibility that he might have been picked by Cleveland, Bridgewater said: "There was a chance, but I actually told my agent that's not the place where I wanted to be. Throughout this entire process I felt comfortable with the Minnesota Vikings. Every visit that I had with the team, you know, there was a family environment and the players, great guys. A great group of guys. So I felt comfortable wanting to play here."

More at link.
http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/10926 ... and-browns

[mondry]

More at link.
http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/10926 ... and-browns

Well I think that means something for the Vikings, but I'm sure it means much much more AGAINST the Browns haha. I mean seriously, who would want to play for them? They don't really have a RB, their top WR isn't going to be able to play, likely won't have any coaching stability and be thrown into a new offensive scheme at each changing of the guard. I'm biased for sure but I would definitely want to play for minnesota.

[Texas Vike]

Well I think that means something for the Vikings, but I'm sure it means much much more AGAINST the Browns haha. I mean seriously, who would want to play for them? They don't really have a RB, their top WR isn't going to be able to play, likely won't have any coaching stability and be thrown into a new offensive scheme at each changing of the guard. I'm biased for sure but I would definitely want to play for minnesota.

Yeah, I totally agree. I think the Vikings have a much better chance of turing things around than the Browns.

[Loki]

Something I wanted to point out that I found very ironic was how often in the pre-draft process Russel Wilson was referenced in comparison to Manziel as to why it was OK to take him in the first round and how he would be successful in the NFL. It seems like a fair comparison seeing they are around the same height, weight, hand size, and athletic ability. The only problem with this comparison is that playing QB is 75% mental and 25% physical. Now I'm not saying Manziel doesn't have the mental makeup to be a good QB but he is known more for his physical ability and his improvisation than his dedication in the film room and intricate football knowledge. These are the things that truly made Russel Wilson great, when the team comes in on Monday mornings Wilson has already dissected there next opponent and put sticky notes in the offensive players lockers, he also arrives at the facility around 5:30 every morning to study film before the day and heads to the film room even between 15 minute breaks in meetings. Another aspect of his success is that even though he's a superbowl winning QB he has managed for the most part to stay out of the spotlight. If you look at Bridgewater I think he has WAY more in common with Russel Wilson than Manziel does right now. Bridgewater seems to have his sole dedication to being great on the field, Manziel is doing McDonalds commercials, partying on TMZ, and trademarking things like "Johnny Football" and "The house that Johnny Built". Bridgewater simply went to bed on bed on draft night to catch up on sleep, Manziel got drunk with rappers till 3 am. Before being drafted Bridgewater bought his mom a Cadillac because he promised it to her when he was 9, Manziel bought a shot and a beer for everyone at his favorite bar. Teddy was ready to give up football to take care of his mom when she had breast cancer. Johnny's father had this to say about him “Yeah, it could come unraveled. And when it does, it’s gonna be bad. Real bad,” Paul Manziel said. “It’s one night away from the phone ringing, and he’s in jail. And you know what he’s gonna say? ‘It’s better than all the pressure I’ve been under. This is better than that.’” Manziel’s dad also said that his son drinks to deal with stress, and has anger issues that cause concern for the family.

I'll be the first to admit that I was a bit blinded by Manziel's exciting style of play which made me gloss over some of his risks. I was also drawn to his over the top partying lifestyle because I party a lot myself so i could relate to him. but now that the dust has settled and I can see things clearly I wouldn't have anyone but Teddy Bridgewater as my QB. A franchise QB shouldn't be someone you relate to it should be someone you look up to because of their intense dedication on the field and reputation off the field. Teddy is that guy.

[mmvikes]

I'm still a little worried. He was finally given his chance to be a head coach, by Spielman. His press conference seemed a little different then what you would expect from him. Is he going to feel like he owes Spielman something? Hopefully not. He got where he is by being who he is. Let's hope he stays that way.

After Frazier, probably a little paranoid. He was the ultimate in yes men....trying to please everyone. Happy to be where he was. etc.

I don't worry about that too much. Although Spielman now has total control he seems to be trying to get the type of player Zimmer wants for his system. That is a good situation for Zimmer as a first year head coach. It is the right way for Spielman to operate too, since Zimmer is his choice as HC. Seems like a very healthy relationship for our team.

[PacificNorseWest]

Loki: I definitely think that's a huge reason why Russell is having the success that he is having, but there's also other little things that allow him to succeed while only being 5'10".

Russell throws the ball completely overhand, which allows him to release the ball at the highest possible point for him. By doing so, he negates some of his height deficiences. He is also adept at moving the pocket to find throwing angles (hand-in-hand with Bevell). More importantly, on straight dropbacks, he takes a deeper drop that allows him to survey the field much more openly. Drew Brees does this perfectly as well. Johnny is more of the scrambling, helter-skelter mode. Not saying he can't read a defense, because I think he can to some degree, but typically he's a one or two read guy and if nothing is there he is a "get the hell out of there" kind of quarterback. He's also ran himself into pressure that has been highlighted before the draft on ESPN and NFLN. Russell, on the other hand, exhausts his reads and when he doesn't, it's usually for good reason (big running lane). He also doesn't take hits. Manziel does.

Two last things...Wilson has monstrous hands. Manziel's are pretty big too, but Russell's are seriously mitts. He can still get a lot of velocity on this throws even being completely overhand. He has a stronger arm than Johnny as it is, but Johnny is usually throwing at a 3/4 angle and sometimes drops lower than that.

I think it's little things like that that could potentially break Manziel in the NFL, but I do believe in magic to an extent. That sounds silly, but it's out there...Just another description of "it." I think Flutie resembled that extremely well. Sometimes these guys just have a knack for making plays and getting the job done. It's why I was always 50/50 on Johnny. Excited to see him play, but I'm 100% happy and satisfied with the Bridgewater selection.

[PurpleHalo]

Yeah the ball does look a little big for him, but that's why he wears the gloves. I know first hand that wearing gloves make the ball easier to grip. Yet he still manages to put the ball where his WRs can only catch it. I think his game throwing will translate well. He's gonna let that ball fly when he has to.

That is the one part I hate, there will be a lot of strip sacks in his career. It is the tool he will use most often, it has to be a concern in the rugged NFL.

I am skeptical a QB with small hands, so he needs a glove to one hand grip can ever be great. And his accuracy was wild at times in college, no doubt because of grip issues. He hasn't had to play in some of the elements he will see in the NFL. How will he deal with Green Bay in December? Icy hard ball. He hasn't been tested in that type of environment, so we will not really know until we get there.

[KSViking]

This is the hand size of the guys at the 2014 combine. Now Teddys is on the smaller end of the spectrum, he is only 1/8 of an inch smaller than Bortles, whom nobody talked about his hand size. I didn't hear it being a negative for Garrapolo and others. Although they are in the same boat. I believe the whole hand size thing has been blown completly out of proportion. Either that, or this whole class of QBs this year just have small hands. I don't know how this compares to QBs already in the league. Carr even had smaller hands, yet didn't garner nearly the attention about them that Teddy has.

Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M (9 7/8)
Blake Bortles, Central Florida (9 3/8)
Teddy Bridgewater, Louisville (9 1/4)
Tajh Boyd, Clemson (9 5/8)
Derek Carr, Fresno State (9 1/8)
AJ McCarron, Alabama (10)
Jimmy Garoppolo, Eastern Illinois (9 1/4)
Aaron Murray, Georgia (9 1/8)

[PurpleMustReign]

This is the hand size of the guys at the 2014 combine. Now Teddys is on the smaller end of the spectrum, he is only 1/8 of an inch smaller than Bortles, whom nobody talked about his hand size. I didn't hear it being a negative for Garrapolo and others. Although they are in the same boat. I believe the whole hand size thing has been blown completly out of proportion. Either that, or this whole class of QBs this year just have small hands. I don't know how this compares to QBs already in the league. Carr even had smaller hands, yet didn't garner nearly the attention about them that Teddy has.

Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M (9 7/8)
Blake Bortles, Central Florida (9 3/8)
Teddy Bridgewater, Louisville (9 1/4)
Tajh Boyd, Clemson (9 5/8)
Derek Carr, Fresno State (9 1/8)
AJ McCarron, Alabama (10)
Jimmy Garoppolo, Eastern Illinois (9 1/4)
Aaron Murray, Georgia (9 1/8)

How big were Favre's hands?

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[Mothman]

How big were Favre's hands?

They were like Paul Bunyan's hands, almost bigger than the human mind can conceive.

[Texas Vike]

They were like Paul Bunyan's hands, almost bigger than the human mind can conceive.

No wonder he can grip the steering wheel of that John Deere tractor with such commanding force! And I always thought it was his Wranglers that were the key ingredient to cutting the lawn so well.

[frosted]

http://www.rotoworld.com/articles/nfl/4 ... -hand-size

According to this, Favre did have giant hands, 10.38 inches. Haha.

[Texas Vike]

You talkin' bout me?

[PurpleHalo]

Kurt Warner wore gloves.

He did later in his career, starting with the Giants. It wasn't because of hand size, he did it for a cold weather game and found it felt good and added more grip. Teddy really can't throw without a glove, hence the draft fall during his pro day sans gloves. I am not saying he will be terrible, was just saying we don't know how he will react to an icy or wet slippery ball in the NFL.


Note: I did not know that info on Warner, I looked it up.