Bridgewater ready to fight for Jets' starting job

Teddy Bridgewater, speaking with the New York media for the first time since signing with the Jets, said he is ready to compete for the starting job despite missing almost two seasons because of a knee injury.

Incumbent Josh McCown is considered the starter and the Jets are expected to select a quarterback with the third overall pick of the NFL Draft, but those facts don't faze Bridgewater.

"Being an athlete and ultimate competitor, as a player, I welcome competition," Bridgewater, 25, who signed a one-year, $6 million contract with the Jets, said Wednesday during a conference call.

"... I'm very confident in myself. I'm confident in the athletic training staff and the coaching staff that they can get me back to the player that I once was. But at the same time, we're only in March and the only way to get better is to put the work in now. I'm excited about this opportunity I have. ... I can't wait. I'm excited."

However, Bridgewater would not tell reporters where he stands in his rehab from the serious injury he sustained during 2016 training camp when he was the Minnesota Vikings' starter.

It was feared his career might be over after he sustained a torn ACL, a dislocation and other structural damage.

"That's not something I'm comfortable talking about right now," said Bridgewater, who has not played a full game since the 2015 playoffs. "I'm pretty sure that will be a discussion I have with the training staff and we'll come up with a plan moving forward."

Bridgewater passed for 6,150 yards with 28 touchdowns and 21 interceptions for the Vikings in 2014 and 2015 after being the final pick in the first round of the 2014 draft out of Louisville. He became the starter early in his rookie season when Matt Cassel was injured.