The Tampa Bay Buccaneers finally have a franchise quarterback under center again with Baker Mayfield. Behind him on the depth chart, however, things get a bit tricky for Todd Bowles and the coaching staff.
This preseason, they added aging veteran Teddy Bridgewater into the fold, and somehow, he outplayed 2021 second-rounder Kyle Trask. Trask was then shockingly released as part of the final roster cutdowns.
Bridgewater will now be the backup to Mayfield, so if anything goes wrong, the nearly 33-year-old signal-caller, who joined the team late, will enter the game. Tampa Bay needs a better contingency plan than this, and one familiar face may have just become available.
Bucs should call Giants about a potential Jameis Winston reunion
On Tuesday, the New York Giants released their initial depth chart ahead of their season opener against the Washington Commanders. In a surprising twist, the team listed rookie Jaxson Dart as the immediate backup to Russell Wilson.
That left Jameis Winston as the No. 3 quarterback on the depth chart, meaning he could be moved if deemed expendable by head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen. The Bucs could be the perfect destination for Winston.
Tampa Bay selected Winston out of Florida State with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, so bringing him back would be a reunion. While Winston was eventually replaced by Tom Brady, that doesn't mean Jason Licht and Co. wouldn't want him back as a high-end backup.
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Winston is still better than Bridgewater at this point in his career, and several of his familiar targets are still in Tampa Bay. He established a rapport with Mike Evans and Chris Godwin during his time with the Bucs, and being re-inserted may be like riding a bike.
It should not cost more than a Day 3 pick to pry Winston from the Giants, and this is something that the Bucs can both afford and, frankly, need to do. This roster is too talented to be derailed by one injury at the quarterback position.
If the Bucs are serious about being contenders in the NFC again this season, they need to find a better insurance policy than Bridgewater or rookie practice squad member Connor Bazelak. Winston would provide just that, and he's both cheap and a familiar face.