Buccaneers and rivals could change division with one decision
By Rob Leeds
The Buccaneers could see how important the best quarterback in the division is in 2022.
There is no position in professional sports with more value than a starting quarterback. A great quarterback changes the dynamic on even the worst NFL team, and the Buccaneers saw this on display with the acquisition of Tom Brady.
After a decade of terrible performances, the Bucs won the Super Bowl and then the division in the two years with Brady at the helm. Quarterbacks matter. The supporting cast never will to the same degree.
There is a reason why a team like the Bengals can make it to the Super Bowl and the 49ers do not.
The great teams like the Rams and the Buccaneers have both the great quarterback and supporting casts as the last two Super Bowl winners, but everyone knows where the real value lies.
The best quarterback won every division last season. The last two Super Bowls have also been won by quarterbacks in their first year with new teams. The position is vital, and not having a quality option takes you out of contention before your Super Bowl run can even get off the ground in this modern era.
The Deshaun Watson situation is going to put this on display in the NFC South.
While there is still a chance that Watson ends up outside of the NFC South, the Buccaneers, Panthers, and Saints are all logical landing spots for the fringe top-five quarterback.
The Panthers and Saints didn’t have great seasons last year for a variety of reasons, but bringing Watson in would completely change their future.
The Bucs are in a similar situation. Without Watson, Tampa looks like a weak playoff team with Blaine Gabbert as the starting quarterback. With Watson, the Buccaneers could be favorites in the NFC.
For our money, the NFC South team that lands Watson would be the clear favorite. The Bucs look like they should be the best fit for Watson from a talent standpoint, but the Saints and Panthers have the capital to make the trade sweeter for the Texans, even if the leverage is in favor of Watson.
The coming days will be very telling as to what the playoff picture will look like in the division and it likely comes down to one decision.
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