The Dallas Cowboys' roster will undergo significant turnover in the offseason. While most of the core will remain intact, they have a laundry list of free agents.
We like to think the front office learned its lesson after it sanctioned a mass exodus last March, but executive vice president Stephen Jones all but announced that Dallas will tighten their budget. That could set the stage for another quiet free agency, but this is a team that has historically prioritized re-signing its own players.
In a perfect world, Osa Odighizuwa, Rico Dowdle, Jourdan Lewis and DeMarcus Lawrence all get retained.
It would be great if Chauncey Golston finds his way back as well, but it is worth noting that Dak Prescott is the only quarterback under contract next year. With Prescott coming off his second season-ending surgery in four years, the Cowboys need a capable backup.
Well, the perfect option has potentially fallen into their lap.
Cowboys should sign Teddy Bridgewater to backup Dak Prescott in 2025
Teddy Bridgewater told NFL Network this week that he wants to return to the NFL. The 32-year-old spent the 2024 season coaching his high school alma mater, Miami Northwestern Senior High School in Florida, to a state championship.
"We’ll see how these next week and a half, two weeks play out. Might be signing with a team or something and then returning back to coach high school football in February,” Bridgewater said. “We’ll see."
"My team knows that’s the plan. We wanted to win a state championship and then coach goes back to the league, see what happens, and then come back February in the offseason, continue coaching high school football. We’ll see how it plays out."
Bridgewater didn't reveal much about what's next, but it sounds like he's on the verge of signing somewhere. The former first-round pick last played in 2023 for the Lions, who may be in the market for a backup. Other teams such as the Browns, Titans, Giants and Raiders are all navigating QB injuries.
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Bridgewater went 33-32 in 75 career starts before retiring after the 2023 season. He completed 66.4% of his passes for 75 touchdowns to 47 interceptions and a 90.5 passer rating. It goes without saying he would an upgrade over Cooper Rush and Trey Lance.
It's important to note that Bridgewater didn't commit to playing in 2025. It seems like he wants to return to coaching as soon as after this season.
That would obviously rule him out as a potential Cowboys signing, but who's to say he doesn't have a change of heart after getting a taste of the league again? What if he signs somewhere, plays well and he suddenly has multiple teams vying for his signature before free agency? Would he think about returning to the NFL full-time?
These are all hypotheticals, but that Bridgewater is attempting a comeback with two weeks left in the regular season tells us he has unfinished business.
The Cowboys would be smart to keep tabs on this storyline. Bridgewater would be the best-possible backup for Prescott.