Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians said Monday that Tom Brady will “take all the time he needs” while giving a bearish outlook on being able to bring back all of their free agents.
Fresh off a loss to the Los Angeles Rams in an NFC divisional playoff game on Sunday, Arians said the team will reload – not rebuild – and take a run at bringing back as many of its free agents as possible.
“I think of it as a reload like it is every year. … We’ll see how many we can get back and then build the team from there,” Arians said.
While Brady is under contract for 2022, there’s speculation that he might call it a career.
“I haven’t talked to him yet. (He’ll) take all the time he needs. We’ll see,” Arians said.
Arians said he’s “comfortable” with the Bucs’ stable of quarterbacks if Brady does retire while allowing for a wild card. Blaine Gabbert and rookie Kyle Trask are the other two QBs on the roster.
“I’d be comfortable if it is. I like what we have,” Arians said of his quarterbacks room. “Again, you never know what’s behind door No. 2. We kind of went down that road and it was Tom Brady. We’ll have to wait and see.”
Arians isn’t as comfortable with the list of impending unrestricted free agents, including wide receiver Chris Godwin, center Ryan Jensen, running back Leonard Fournette, defensive backs Carlton Davis and Jordan Whitehead, among others. The Bucs currently have $19.4 million in salary cap space for 2022, per Overthecap.com.
The Bucs were able to bring back all of their players after last year’s Super Bowl victory, a feat Arians doesn’t think they can repeat.
“Each year, it’s so different and so new. Last year, to get everybody back, was amazing. I doubt we can do it all again this year, but we’re still gonna give it our best.”
It’s also possible Arians could lose both coordinators. Offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich and defensive coordinator Todd Bowles both have interviewed for head coaching openings around the league.
Leftwich has called plays under Arians, a departure from when Arians was the head coach in Arizona. However, Arians said he might assume that role again if he loses Leftwich.
“There would be a really good chance (of me calling plays), yes,.” Arians said.
–Field Level Media