USAT: Buccs Wire audio clip

USAT: Buccs Wire

Feb 5, 2022

Now that Tom Brady is retiring, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers face the mountainous question of what to do at quarterback moving forward. - Sure, the Bucs are sure to knock on plenty of doors, gauging trade interest for various veterans like Russell Wilson or Derek Carr, or free agents that could provide a bridge to Kyle Trask as Brady’s eventual successor. - After all, it’s not like the Bucs don’t still have a loaded roster that should make them the favorite to win the NFC South next year, regardless of who is throwing passes for them. Just like it did Brady, that roster should make Tampa Bay the premier destination for any quarterback that wants out of his current situation. - That said, it might be difficult for the Bucs to find a quality solution among those veteran options. The fact that Tampa Bay has a long list of key free agents to retain will make it harder for them to spend a ton of cap space on another star quarterback, and they won’t want to part with a truckload of high draft picks, as well. - All of those factors could lead the Bucs to a solution that might make fans cringe at first, but could end up being their best bet. - (AP Photo/Terrance Williams) - Scott Reynolds at Pewter Report recently wrote a convincing pitch for Blaine Gabbert as Tampa Bay’s most likely, and perhaps best-case scenario for replacing Brady in 2022. In that article, Reynolds lays out plenty of evidence that makes a strong case for Gabbert, including his familiarity with the offense and personnel, as well as rave reviews about his preparation and talent from coaches and executives. - While I was reading it, I couldn’t help but draw comparisons between what Gabbert might bring as Tampa Bay’s starter next season, and what Brad Johnson did for the Bucs during their first Super Bowl run back in 2002. - Johnson was a veteran journeyman who didn’t light the world on fire with his elite physical traits, but simply executed the offense at a high level, with efficiency and consistency. He was a “game manager,” sure, but thanks to the rest of the talent around him, that was enough. - (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images) - Now, Johnson had the benefit of one of the best defenses in NFL history, and while Tampa Bay’s current unit is plenty talented, they’re not on the level of that 2002 unit, one which should be adding a fourth Hall of Famer in a matter of days. - He also didn’t have the elite supporting cast on offense that Tampa Bay currently boasts, one that could be boosted by the ability to retain free agents like Chris Godwin and Ryan Jensen, a task that will be made easier if the Bucs don’t have to break the bank for a star quarterback. - Gabbert is set to be a free agent himself, but if the Bucs want to make him the starter, both sides should easily be able to work out a new deal that pays him a lot more money than he’s been making as Brady’s backup, but still keeps the rest of the cap manageable for Tampa Bay. - Much like Johnson was in 2002, maybe a cost-effective veteran like Gabbert is exactly what the Bucs need to remain in the title hunt next season. - - List - - Who should replace Tom Brady as Bucs' QB? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Email - - - - - Sign up - - - - - - - - Like this article? - Sign up for the Bucs Wire email newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning - - - - An error has occured - - - Please re-enter your email address. - - - - - - Thanks for signing up! - - - You'll now receive the top Bucs Wire stories each day directly in your inbox.

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Jan 27, 2022