Buccaneers: Why Tampa Bay should consider pursuing Sam Darnold

The Buccaneers could consider this trade for a potential future answer at quarterback

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers may be sold out on winning in the here-and-now, but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t make a move to potentially affect the future.

The Buccaneers have their eyes fixated on winning during the 2020 season and that’s something that has been apparent ever since they brought in QB Tom Brady for a short, two-year deal. With Brady on the roster- combined with the young talent that Tampa Bay already possessed- the Bucs are one of the few legitimate competitors in the NFC.

And that has proven true thus far with the Buccaneers the current leader in the NFC South Division.

That being said, there is a player who is floating around on the trading block that wouldn’t make much sense this season, but could be a help to the Buccaneers in the not-so-distant future. That player is Jets QB Sam Darnold.

Why the Buccaneers should consider pursuing for Jets QB Sam Darnold

Darnold was the No. 3 overall pick in the NFL Draft just a few years ago, but it has never really panned out for him during his time in New York.

While some can attest it to Darnold’s lack of development- and that’s certainly one of the issues- the main issue, at least in my opinion, has to do with the Jets more so than anyone else. Darnold is a talented quarterback who has shown great flashes, but he has next to no one around him offensively.

Darnold’s contract runs out after the 2021 season and may be the biggest hurdle to the Jets getting a trade done. He would currently be a hit to the cap of more than $8 million, and that’s more than what the Bucs- and many other teams, for that matter- have in their budget to begin with.

So, while a trade likely won’t work for Tampa Bay, there are other avenues for getting Darnold on the team. If the Jets can’t find a trade partner, they’ll likely release him following this season and then it’s fair game. Adding a guy like Darnold to the roster would be a huge asset for Bruce Arians and Co. and would allow them to be able to develop a first-round talent over the course of a year with Tom Brady still running the system.

This won’t happen overnight and we’re not here to advocate trading much for Darnold, but a potential free-agency signing once he is cut is definitely something for the Buccaneers to keep their eyes on.