Deshaun Watson to the Buccaneers isn’t impossible yet
By Rob Leeds
Could the Buccaneers land Deshaun Watson?
The primary focus in Tampa will be the Super Bowl for eight more days. The Buccaneers have eight more days to prepare for Patrick Mahomes and a dominant Chiefs team. After that, the future is uncertain for the Buccaneers.
The Bucs have two major figures to watch during the offseason: Tom Brady and Bruce Arians. While both are on contract to stay in Tampa through the 2021 season, that prospect changes based on the Super Bowl.
Brady and Arians are both playing for their legacies at this point in their careers. Brady likely solidifies himself as the best quarterback of all-time forever if he beats the prematurely-named future GOAT.
Mahomes is in the best position to one day unseat Brady at his current rate, but losing to the 43-year old Brady in the Super Bowl on a new team that is coming off of one of the most prolonged playoff droughts in NFL history will always dominate the Brady-Mahomes debate.
Bruce Arians is searching for his first Super Bowl win and a seat at the table amongst the best coaches in NFL history. While Arians isn’t on the same level as Brady, this win would potentially do even more for his legacy than Brady’s.
Brady is already a first-ballot Hall of Fame quarterback with one of the most impressive resumes in sports history, but after a home Super Bowl win in a new conference with a new team, what more is there for Brady to accomplish?
Brady risks everything by returning after winning a Super Bowl, so retirement is not out of the question. If Brady does retire, which he should if he wins the Super Bowl, the Buccaneers will require a new starting quarterback to maintain Tampa’s current level of play. Enter Deshaun Watson.