At the beginning of this off season, Buccaneers fans let out a collective groan at the news of Tom Brady’s retirement. Without a clear direction at the most important position on the field, were we headed right back to the bottom of the NFL ranks? Luckily, Brady decided he still had the itch to play and rejoined the active roster. However, what if the lure of his brand new broadcasting mega deal becomes too much next offseason and finally pulls him away for good?
In this article, I will take a look at some of the potential options to replace Brady internally, through the draft, and through free agency if Brady were to decide to step away after this season.
Kyle trask– the most likely heir to the GOAT’s throne could already be on our roster. All indications point to Jason Licht and the Buccaneers staff being willing to ride with Kyle Trask if that is the hand they are dealt in 2023.
While we may not have gotten the chance to see him much so far, the guys who are evaluating him each day showed no indication that they felt the need to add a new starting QB during Brady’s brief retirement stint earlier this off season. That says a lot about what they are seeing in practices and what impression Kyle Trask is leaving on the team.
Draft-
Anthony Richardson, UF-Great size/very mobile running QB. Needs to work on efficiency and decision making at the position but has the makings of a breakout star.
Hendon Hooker, Tennessee– Hendon Hooker was the product of the fast-paced Josh Huepel offense that UCF fans grew to love before he left us for Rocky Top. Only slight bitterness from this writer on that front…..But needless to say, Hooker will have had two years in an offense that preaches quick decisions and deep touch accuracy. If he matches his production from a year ago, he could earn himself mid-round consideration and quick camp competition.
Jake Haener, Fresno State– should be able to take a step in his development this year working with Jeff Telford, who has been able to set multiple QBs up for the NFL, most notably Aaron Rodgers.
Free agency-
Baker Mayfield- Baker has no shortage of swagger and confidence, which is generally something the Tampa Bay fan base rallies around. Baker has been inconsistent, somewhat due to shaky talent around him, and nagging injuries. Baker is a gunslinger, but has, at times, played at a high level. With a similar play style to the former Tampa QB Jamies Winston, could Jason Licht see those same qualities and fall in love with the redemption story?
Jimmy Garappolo- Could Tom Brady’s former backup be the answer in Tampa if Brady were to retire after this season? What a career arc that would be. Jimmy’s large current cap hit would be a major factor if he is not released and he would have to take a major pay cut to be a part of the Tampa Bay roster if the 49ers did simply cut him rather than trade him, but Tampa could offer Jimmy the opportunity to get back to Super Bowl contention that few other teams in the QB market could. The question is can a game manager get this roster that far?
Daniel Jones-A return to the Giants in 2023 is a possibility, however, with his option having been declined, the chances of Daniel Jones hitting the market appear to be higher than initially expected. Jones has solid pocket presence and good mobility when needed but would need to work on accuracy issues and hasn’t really proven that he can stretch the field enough to keep the Bucs in Super Bowl contention.
Colin Kaepernick- This may be a pipe dream, but should it be? When looking solely at the on the field perspectives, it is hard to argue against Kaep’s impact the last time we saw him on the field. However, having been out of the league since 2016, there would be a ton of questions on if he would still be able to produce at a high level. Kaep has held multiple workouts for NFL teams and has reportedly continued working out to stay in football shape since his time in the NFL has ended. Has the window passed for him to be a productive NFL quarterback, or has he been able to stay fresh and does he still have what it takes to lead a team at the highest level?
So what do they do? Do they stick with Jason Licht’s preferred strategy of building through the draft? Do they take another swing at making a major free agency acquisition like the one that brought Tom to Tampa? Can Kyle Trask be THE guy? Let us know in the comments who you think could and should be our quarterback of the future!
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