It’s tough to move on from Tom Brady. Yet, after losing in the Wild Card, Brady walked off into the sunset, and now the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are forced to find a new leader.
So far, the in-house options point to free agency signee Baker Mayfield being the starting quarterback in 2023, with Kyle Trask, the 64th overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft, also lurking in the shadows.
But even Mayfield is only signed to a one-year contract, with just $4 million guaranteed, which is far below the rate of an average starting QB salary in the NFL today. In fact, Mayfield’s 2023 cap hit ranks 48th in the NFL among QBs, according to Spotrac.
This brings us to NFL Network’s Albert Breer reporting the Bucs are set to meet with Kentucky’s Will Levis later this week. It’s not surprising to think the Buccaneers could add another QB in the 2023 NFL Draft but asking to visit with one of the top prospects in the class is notable.
Levis is widely expected to be a top-ten pick, possibly even as high as the top-five picks, with teams constantly searching for a new face of the franchise. Yet, there’s always the possibility of a draft day slide for any prospect, and that includes Levis.
Or, the Buccaneers could place a much larger emphasis on finding their own QB of the future, with Levis being their primary target. If this is the case, perhaps the Buccaneers are one of six teams to have called the Arizona Cardinals about trading up to the third overall pick on April 27.
Either way, it’s clear the Buccaneers are doing their homework in this year’s QB class, which is a strong indication Tampa Bay may feel they don’t have their long-term solution on the roster just yet.
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