I am not crazy about the marriage of Teddy Bridgewater and Norv Turner. They just don’t seem like the go together. Turner wants to see the ball driven deep, and Bridgewater can’t make those throws.
Turner has been in the league forever, and he’s long been a strong proponent of have his wide receivers consistently challenge defenses with vertical routes. Vincent Jackson, Josh Gordon and Malcom Floyd in recent years. Back in the ‘90s with Henry Ellard, Michael Irvin and Alvin Harper.
But Bridgewater doesn’t have the gun to make those throws, and he also seems to play with an Alex Smith temperament – more focused on avoiding mistakes, rather than giving his wide receivers a chance to perhaps make a big play even when partially covered.
Typically with Turner, you see lots of wide receivers averaging 16-plus yards per catch. With the Vikings last year, their wide receivers (not tight ends or running backs – just the wide receivers) averaged only 12.9.
No way will Bridgewater be a top-20 quarterback on my draft board this year.
| WIDE RECEIVERS IN NORV TURNER OFFENSES | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | Rec | Yards | Avg | TD |
| 2000 | Washington | 149 | 2,169 | 14.6 | 11 |
| 2001 | San Diego | 170 | 2,613 | 15.4 | 11 |
| 2002 | Miami | 125 | 1,745 | 14.0 | 6 |
| 2003 | Miami | 119 | 1,710 | 14.4 | 13 |
| 2004 | Oakland | 165 | 2,622 | 15.9 | 19 |
| 2005 | Oakland | 189 | 2,696 | 14.3 | 16 |
| 2006 | San Francisco | 111 | 1,598 | 14.4 | 7 |
| 2007 | San Diego | 113 | 1,555 | 13.8 | 8 |
| 2008 | San Diego | 131 | 2,148 | 16.4 | 16 |
| 2009 | San Diego | 153 | 2,376 | 15.5 | 13 |
| 2010 | San Diego | 151 | 2,571 | 17.0 | 15 |
| 2011 | San Diego | 148 | 2,566 | 17.3 | 17 |
| 2012 | San Diego | 142 | 2,037 | 14.3 | 15 |
| 2013 | Cleveland | 188 | 2,675 | 14.2 | 13 |
| 2014 | Minnesota | 173 | 2,326 | 13.4 | 12 |
| 2015 | Minnesota | 148 | 1,916 | 12.9 | 6 |
—Ian Allan