The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are right back to square one following Tom Brady’s retirement announcement. Coming off a disappointing 9-8 season that resulted in a blowout loss to the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC Wild Card Playoffs, there’s a lot of questions about the direction of this team.
Relying primarily on a veteran roster, these Bucs finds themselves an estimated $29.44 million over the 2023 NFL salary. That’s with Brady off the books, too.
Does general manager Jason Licht believe that Tampa Bay can contend for a Super Bowl title in 2023? This is a major question as he navigates through the offseason.
There’s two directions Licht can go as it relates to the all-important quarterback position and the Buccaneers’ roster as a whole. The longtime front office head could simply decide to blow it all up and start anew with a rebuild. He could also attempt to run it back with another quarterback under center. Below, we look at four options for Tampa Bay as it enters a franchise-defining offseason.
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers run out Kyler Trask and a bunch of youngsters
Right now, this second-round pick from the 2021 NFL Draft is the only quarterback currently under contract in Tampa Bay. It remains highly unlikely that he’ll be QB1 once the 2023 season comes calling.
With that said, there’s a scenario in play which includes exactly this happening. First off, Tampa can get a first-hand view of what Kyle Trask brings to the table without the pressure of contending for a playoff spot. That is to say, move on from the high-priced veterans and pretty much treat 2023 like a gap year for the franchise.
The Buccaneers would save roughly $50 million against the cap (h/t Over the Cap) if they designated the likes of Shaquil Barrett, Donovan Smith, Shaquille Mason, Leonard Fournette and Lavonte David as post-June 1 cut. Moving off veterans Mike Evans, Carlton Davis and Vita Vea in trades would create more flexibility moving forward while adding draft pick assets to the mix. It would be a complete rebuild in Tampa, something that might now be in the cards.
Related: Tampa Bay Buccaneers pick in Sportsnaut’s NFL mock draft
Go all in for a quarterback in the 2023 NFL Draft
Tampa Bay has its full allotment of picks moving forward. It also boasts the 19th overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft. Perhaps, Licht and Co. opt to move up from that selection for a potential franchise quarterback.
The Buccaneers could even go crazy by offering up the house to acquire the No. 1 pick from a Chicago Bears team that’s more than willing to trade down. In this scenario, Alabama’s Bryce Young becomes the face of the Buccaneers’ franchise.
Either Trask or a veteran stopgap such as Jacoby Brissett or Jimmy Garoppolo could hold down the fort for a year while Young gets accustomed to the nuances of the NFL game. At the very least, it would keep Tampa Bay relevant and in the playoff conversation.
Related: Tampa Bay Buccaneers standing in Sportsnaut’s offseason power rankings
Tampa Bay Buccaneers find right mix with Derek Carr
Let’s be honest for a second. Last season’s iteration of Tom Brady wasn’t the best in the world. Sure he was dealing with a 32nd-ranked rushing attack. That must also be addressed by Tampa this offseason. But the seven-time Super Bowl signal caller looked like a mid-tier starter throughout the season.
- Tom Brady stats (2022): 67% completion, 4,694 yards, 25 TD, 9 INT, 90.7 QB rating
- Derek Carr stats (2022): 61% completion, 3,522 yards, 24 TD, 14 INT, 86.3 QB rating
Why not run it back with this same core group and see what Derek Carr might be able to offer up? We’re talking about a Pro Bowler (when it actually mattered) who got dealt the short end of the stick with the Las Vegas Raiders. He’s clearly on the trade block and likely wouldn’t cost a whole heck of a lot from a compensation standpoint.
Related: 5 quarterback trades we’d love to see this offseason
Blockbuster trade scenario for Bucs
Aaron Rodgers. That’s it. That’s the article. Joking aside, we wouldn’t put it past Licht to give Green Bay Packers a ring about this four-time NFL MVP. We know the story. While Green Bay is already talking trade, it has no inclination to move Rodgers to the NFC.
But the quarterback can easily play hardball by threatening to retire if he doesn’t get dealt to a team of his choosing. In this scenario, Green Bay gets absolutely nothing in return.
At the very least, it wouldn’t hurt the Bucs to gauge interest on the Packers’ part. If they are willing to give up a premium (two first-round picks and change) in order for Green Bay to pull off a blockbuster, this would be a boon. Rodgers has performed better than Brady in recent seasons. He’s a back-to-back league MVP. He could take this Tampa Bay Buccaneers roster to legitimate Super Bowl contention.