On the eve of the 2021 NFL Draft, two teams gained at least a little clarity on their quarterback situations, with the to the in exchange for a sixth-round pick. Neither side is guaranteed to sit out the QB market come Thursday night, but we can at least a se s who got better -- or who found better value -- in the wake of Bridgewater's relocation to Denver. Let's break down the deal for both parties:Some teams deserve criticism when they settle for perceived base hits over potential home runs, specifically at a Keith Magnuson Women Jersey position like QB. And the Bridgewater acquisition almost certainly falls in the "base hit" category; rarely has the former , and Panthers veteran been anything but a high-floor, low-ceiling starter. At his best, Teddy's still more of a good-but-not-great QB, which may or may not be enough to lift Denver to the postseason for the first time since was in town.But here's the difference between the Broncos and a team like the , which made a similar mid-level acquisition this year in : Denver also has the high-upside option in tow. Enter . While Lock might not be franchise material, proving to be something of a turnover Stan Mikita Kids Jersey magnet in between 2020 injuries, he's still just 24 and po se ses play-making traits. By adding Bridgewater, the Broncos have simply raised the collective floor of the QB room, while retaining the po sibility of a Lock breakout. Pick Six Newsletter Crafted By The Best NFL Experts Get the day's big stories + fun stuff you love like mock drafts, picks and power rankings. I agree to receive the "Pick Six Newsletter" and marketing communications, updates, special offers (including partner offers), and other information from CBS Sports and the Paramount family of companies. By pre sing sign up, I confirm that I have read and agree to the . Please check the opt-in box to acknowledge that you would like to subscribe. Thanks for signing up! Keep an eye on your inbox. Sorry! There was an error proce sing your subscription. Most importantly, by giving up just a sixth and getting the Panthers to John Hayden Men Jersey pay all but $3 million of the $10M due Bridgewater in 2021, Denver has ensured it can still do anything it wants at the position. If a top QB prospect slides within reach or, dare we say, all the way to their No. 9 pick, they can take him. If a Day Two signal-caller catches their eye, they can do it. It's the old approach of 2012, when Seattle paid before drafting ; or the approach of 2016, when Philadelphia kept and paid before drafting . The name of the game at QB is to stockpile a sets until you find one worthwhile, and the Broncos are doing that sensibly.Even in the event they don't add more long-term juice by finding a way to get a prospect like Justin Fields or Trey Lance, SportsLine projects Denver will be much better off relying on Bridgewater than Lock. While the latter has the much bigger arm, expert analyst Stephen Oh notes, "the improvement in accuracy with fewer INTs helps Denver win nearly one more game per season simulation." Projecting Bridgewater as the 2021 starter elevates the Broncos' win total from 6.6 to 7.5 and boosts playoff chances from 8.2% to 17.5%. Grade: A-There was no clear path back to the starting job for Bridgewater in Carolina. It was only a matter of time until the Panthers moved the veteran. The team also shouldn't be faulted for admitting its sunk cost, realizing one year into Dylan Strome Women Jersey Teddy's three-year, $63 million deal that maybe, just maybe, Bridgewater has always been a fine but replaceable (rather than game-altering) pa ser. You don't trade three picks for , after all, if you're planning to ride out that contract. But still, we can't ignore the numbers, and the Panthers poured a hefty amount of resources into what amounted to a one-year placeholder at QB.Combining Darnold's $4.77M cap hit with Bridgewater's $7M sunk cost means the Panthers will be paying almost $12M for their QBs in Adam Boqvist Kids Jersey 2021 -- a mild figure, just above guys like Dalton and , but not insignificant considering Carolina could still be eyeing a rookie addition to the group. Couple that with the fact that Carolina paid Bridgewater a total of more than $30 million guaranteed since 2020, and it's just hard to crown the Panthers for selling him off in exchange for e sentially a throwaway late-rounder. Was the deal inevitable? Yes. Does it make it any more rewarding? Not really.Once more, this is the path the Panthers had to take. Bridgewater wasn't going to be guy there, no matter how respected he was in the locker room. Darnold offers more upside. And a surprise pick like Lance or Fields would make all of this especially moot, giving their QB room all kinds of excitement. In terms of the actual trade, though, this was more a nece sary blow than a celebratory deal. Grade: C-