No one expected to see this type of offseason for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Here are four things that happened that many considered impossible.
Not even the most optimistic Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans could’ve predicted what would happen during the 2020 offseason.
Throughout the offseason, many people said certainly things were impossible for the Buccaneers. Fans and analysts alike continued to doubt the franchise, question its direction and wonder what the next step would be.
Well, here are four things that happened during the 2020 Buccaneers offseason that many said were impossible beforehand.
4. Bucs took an offensive tackle in the first-round
I actually had people tell me they would be shocked if the Buccaneers took an offensive tackle in the first-round.
Though everyone- including the Bucs- believed that the No. 1 priority was offensive tackle, there was clearly doubt even heading into the 2020 NFL Draft.
The Buccaneers haven’t been known to take offensive linemen in the first-round and there was great doubt that they would mess it up. Some projected the Bucs taking anything from a defensive line to a wide receiver to a quarterback in the first-round, but the organization stuck to its guns and drafted an offensive tackle, as they should have.
3. Rob Gronkowski coming out of retirement
When Rob Gronkowski retired following the 2018 season, it seemed like that would be it.
I mean, Gronk had plenty of opportunities to be involved in the spotlight in other roles and seemed to be enjoying life as a celebrity.
Even when the Buccaneers signed Tom Brady, there was a big doubt that Gronk would come out of retirement and that the Bucs would make a trade to bring him back. Most thought it was nothing more than a rumor made up by internet trolls with nothing better to do, but it happened nevertheless.
2. Jameis Winston winds up in a back-up role
Coming into the offseason, there were plenty of Buccaneers fans who were willing to pay Jameis Winston upwards of $20 million per season for the quarterback to re-sign with Tampa Bay.
Even if the Bucs did choose to move on from Winston, you couldn’t have made an argument that would put Winston in a back-up role, at least in the eyes of many. Winston was going to be a starting quarterback somewhere.
Well, weeks passed by and Winston remained unsigned. A guy who was thought to be potentially making over $20 million per year or signing the franchise tag ($27.5 million for the year) with the Bucs, ended up signing a deal worth just $1.1 million with the New Orleans Saints- as a back-up.
Though there was a contingency of the fan base who would’ve predicted that, I would say the vast majority came away surprised with the outcome.
1. Tom Brady signs with Tampa Bay
Obviously, leading off our list is the signing that set it all in motion.
I wrote a post back in January detailing five reasons that Tom Brady in Tampa Bay could actually work and you wouldn’t believe the amount of people who said there was no chance in the world that the quarterback signed with the Buccaneers.
Fast-forward a few months and Brady elected to leave New England and signed a two-year, $50 million deal with the Bucs. It still seems surreal.
The fact of the matter is that Brady signing with Tampa would’ve sounded completely impossible as little as three months ago, but the reality is that it happened and, as a result, the Bucs are considered legitimate playoff contenders for the first time in over decade.
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