The Tom Brady retirement saga part two has begun. This time, though, it appears that he will stay retired. Brady’s exit will leave the Buccaneers with no quarterback, a defense that needs improvement, and a receiving crew that could not stay healthy or consistent last year. This team barely made the playoffs in one of the worst divisions in the NFL, with one of the best QBs of all time. Without Tom, this team could make an extremely high draft selection come 2024.
Change is already on the horizon, as the Bucs have parted ways with running back Leonard Fournette. Fournette being released is likely because rookie running back Rachaad White outperformed Fournette down the stretch and is far cheaper. Fournette’s leave could also mean that the Bucs are in the running for another rookie back in this year’s draft, as having a one-two punch out of the backfield is the new trend in the league. The Bucs have the 19th pick in this upcoming draft; while White looks like he can be a lead back for this team, the Bucs could also examine the way of star rookie back Bijan Robinson. Robinson will be highly sought after, though, and for a team like the Bucs, who are on the decline, they need more draft capital to set up their future.
The Bucs could find a way to compete this year, but it is hard to see this team winning many games. They still have solid pieces on defense, but they can only pay them for a bit longer. The same is true for offensive weapons Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. Evans and Godwin were considered the best WR combo until last year. Was it a fluke because Tom was not as good as he had been the year prior, or have younger duos surpassed them? The answer will determine what the Bucs should do with these guys next off-season.
The Bucs camp has stated that they are excited about Kyle Trask taking over as signal caller. If this excites the Bucs, they will be ecstatic come April next year when they select Caleb Williams first overall in the draft. This is the direction this Bucs team is headed unless significant moves are made. The Bucs need to embrace the rebuild. This organization lost the best QB ever and will take a hit. Instead of competing in a weak division just to get waxed in the Wild Card, they must embrace this next season of losing and come out with high draft capital. If the draft pans out the way it should, they could have one of Bijan Robinson, a top TE prospect, or a defensive prospect to add to the pieces already in place. Then, after losing games this next season, they could have Caleb Williams, who many believe would be the apparent number-one pick this year. Any combination of Caleb Williams, Mike Evans/Chris Godwin, and Bijan Robinson/Michael Mayer/Dalton Kincaid would be a great foundation to build. If the Bucs play their cards right, they will be positioned for a bright future.