The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are winners of the Tom Brady sweepstakes, replacing a quarterback — Jameis Winston — who threw 30 interceptions last season with a legend who hasn’t thrown more than 14 in a year in his entire, incredible career.
But it’s not that kind of move that’s going to turn a 7-9 team into a sudden Super Bowl contender.
Sure, it was the right move for Brady given his choices. But this is more about the team now that he’s agreed in principle to join Tampa Bay.
For one, this is a squad with serious struggles last season on the offensive line, ranking — per Football Outsiders — in the lower half in the league in both pass protection and run blocking (the Bucs averaged just 95.1 rushing yards per contest, and the mobile Winston accounted for 15.6 of them in 2019). Although Brady will have an incredible set of receivers to throw to — Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and tight end O.J. Howard — running backs Ronald Jones and Peyton Barber don’t exactly strike fear in defenses.
Maybe the Bucs use their No. 14 overall pick on an offensive lineman or RB, but my point here is Tampa could be one-dimensional or Brady could be pressured more than he’s used to.
The defense was terrific against the run and there are some emerging stars like Lavonte David and Shaquil Barrett. But there’s work to be done against the pass.
Don’t forget about the rest of the NFC. The Bucs aren’t even close to the best team in their own division — hi, Drew Brees and the Saints twice a year! — and the 49ers, Packers, Vikings, Seahawks are also probably automatic playoff squads in 2020.
And then there’s Brady himself. I’ve written about how he didn’t look like the same GOAT he’s been last season, and at 42, it’s absolutely ok to wonder if his age was finally starting to catch up with him a bit last season. Plus, he’ll be adjusting to whatever scheme Bruce Arians designs for him and to playing for a new franchise for the first time in 20 years. That’s a lot, even for Brady.
It’ll be so fun to see what Brady can do after last season’s offensive struggles with the Pats. But a Super Bowl? Not even the greatest quarterback of all time can pull off that feat.
