Tom Brady’s successor at quarterback for the Buccaneers

Tom Brady, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Tom Brady, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Jamie Newman, Wake Forest Demon Deacons, potential target of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers(Photo by Bryan M. Bennett/Getty Images)
Jamie Newman, Wake Forest Demon Deacons, potential target of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers(Photo by Bryan M. Bennett/Getty Images)

With the next two seasons being the primary focus for the Buccaneers, a quarterback wasn’t a real draft option in 2020, but that could change in 2021.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have two seasons with Tom Brady, then the next face of the franchise could be anyone. It may not be now, but the Buccaneers will have to prepare for this eventual contingency.

Brady is not going to be the quarterback in Tampa Bay for long. After just one season, Brady could experience a level of wear and tear that he hasn’t seen in a single year throughout his career. The Buccaneers have to be proactive now to not allow for a lull or rebuild after 2021 or if any injury occurs.

The best way for the Bucs to ensure a smooth transition is to find a successor for Brady before the 2021 season begins. The Buccaneers couldn’t afford to use a draft pick on the position in 2020, but spending a high pick on a quarterback in 2021 is a real possibility.

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Look at what the Chiefs did in finding their franchise quarterback. After making a convincing push in the playoffs, the Chiefs added Patrick Mahomes in the following draft despite still having Alex Smith on the roster. The Buccaneers could be in a similar position going into 2021.

An intriguing option that could be available for Tampa Bay in the mid to late first round is Jamie Newman, the current quarterback for Georgia. Newman is getting a sizable amount of traction to be a first-round pick in 2021 and has already put together an impressive tape while at Wake Forest.

The opportunity to play with the consistently-relevant Georgia Bulldogs will only help Newman’s stock. Getting to play in big games against SEC talent in high-profile games will be a big step up from what Newman was used to while at Wake Forest.

If Tampa Bay does make the playoffs and pulls off a deeper push, keeping the roster together will be critical. The Bucs may try to bring back most of the free agents and may not have many glaring needs, opening up the door for the selection of a quarterback in the draft.

Newman has a decent shot to be a franchise quarterback in the NFL, and Tampa Bay would be an excellent spot for him to get used to the speed of the league and extend the Bucs’ window of relevancy.

Drafting Newman wouldn’t hurt the Bucs’ playoff chances in 2021, but it would undoubtedly improve the future outlook for the team.

As a versatile option that fits the evolving role of the modern NFL quarterback, Bucs fans should keep a close eye on Jamie Newman’s season at Georgia this year, because he could become a Buccaneer very soon.

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