There’s no getting around it; your team is much better if you have Tom Brady under center. With Brady mulling retirement this off-season, the Buccaneers should be heavily thinking about their future, and some of the moves they will have to make if Brady decides to hang up the cleats this off-season. Why? Well firstly, they would be losing the greatest quarterback of all time, significantly lowering their chances of contending for a Super Bowl in 2022. Secondly, the 2022 free agent class for quarterbacks isn’t all that great.
When we look at the names of the free-agent quarterbacks available, it’s hard not to feel underwhelmed. Just to give you an idea, the top two names on the free-agent list are Ben Roethlisberger (who is unofficially retired) and Ryan Fitzpatrick. The next name? Andy Dalton! It’s not hard to see that if the Buccaneers want a QB replacement for next season, it’s either they roll with Blaine Gabbert (who is also a free agent) or they trust the young Kyle Trask. Neither of these options sounds too convincing.
The best option for them at this point would be to trade for a quarterback who may be having a rough go with his current team. Some names that pop out instantaneously include Russel Wilson, Aaron Rodgers, and Deshaun Watson (although I’m not convinced teams would trade for Watson given the allegations pending against him).
Would trade for Rusell Wilson, or Aaron Rodgers, be a viable option for the Buccaneers? Yes, and no. For starters, the Buccaneers would have to give up some key pieces of their lineup to acquire either quarterback. Does management really want to break up a winning core just to persuade an aging quarterback to come to Tampa? If I was management, I would heed patience. If Tom Brady does decide to retire, and it’s a big “if”, then I would sign a temporary QB for the 2022 season.
Some names that could fill the hole for the Buccaneers include Tyrod Taylor, Jameis Winston, and Teddy Bridgewater, all decent quarterbacks who will be surrounded by offensive weapons. This isn’t a long-term fix, but it would be enough to hold the team over until the 2023 free-agent QB class kicks in, which is absolutely stacked.
Some of the names in that 2023 free-agent class include Matthew Stafford, Jimmy Garoppolo, Lamar Jackson, Derek Carr, and Baker Mayfield. These QB’s have proven they have what it takes to win in the NFL, so the Buccaneers would be smart to assess whether one of these guys fits into their future success plans.
Heading into the off-season, the Buccaneers will have a lot on their plate; Tom Brady, as well as Rob Gronkowski, mulling retirement, and key pieces like Chris Godwin, Jason Pierre-Paul, and Leonard Fournette all hitting free agency. There’s no knowing where this will lead, but all I’m saying is that this Buccaneers team may look drastically different next season.
“Til next time!