Tom Brady took the field with his new Buccaneers for the first time during training camp. The soon-to-be 43-year-old is seen throwing passes and giving some of his new teammates direction.
QB school 📚
Day 1⃣
Brady signed a two-year deal with Tampa Bay this offseason after 20 seasons in New England.
We’re just getting started.
Brady Expected to Thrive in Tampa Bay
Brady is expected to thrive with a new stable of weapons. Brady arguably has as greatest of a collection of options he’s ever played with (Yes, Randy Moss was the greatest WR Brady has ever played with but those teams with Moss weren’t as stacked as this year’s Bucs).
Tampa Bay could run two tight ends in the way the Patriots did with Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez back in 2011. The team could do so without putting too much on any one tight end’s plate. Expect a rotation between, O.J. Howard, Rob Gronkowski, and Cameron Brate.
Not to mention, the Bucs also have all-pro Mike Evans, speedster Chris Godwin and Ronald Jones II at running back (who should be a sought after fantasy asset).
Some believe Brady will set career-highs, even at this late stage in his career.
“You know what, I’m gonna go out on a limb: He’s gonna thrash 2007,” Jones-Drew said, referring to Brady’s best season of his career (on a recent episode of NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football). “I think he’s gonna throw 55 touchdowns, 4,500 yards passing, close to 5,000. The Bucs are gonna be one of the toughest teams to stop, and that’s because the defense causes turnovers and will get him more opportunities.”
Did Brady Get Unfair Headstart?
Brady continued to work out with his new Buccaneers teammates earlier in the offseason despite the warning of the NFLPA for to stop.
“Please be advised that it is our consensus medical opinion that in light of the increase in COVID-19 cases in certain states that no players should be engaged in practicing together in private workouts,” Dr. Thom Mayer, the NFLPA medical director, said in an email to all players at the time. “Our goal is to have all players and your families as healthy as possible in the coming months.
Florida was seeing a spike in COVID-19 cases. At the time, Brady led workouts with both offensive and defensive players.
Prior to that, Brady was in the news for breaking Florida’s stay-at-home order on at least two occasions, including one where he accidentally broke into some one’s home, believing that it was offensive coordinator’s Byron Leftwich’s house.
Brady wasn’t arrested for breaking and entering, though it’s possible the league could take some sort of disciplinary action for the incident, as he was not supposed to be meeting with members of his new team.
“Totally illegal,” a connected source told Mike Florio of NBC Sports. “They should be fined. Plus, I bet those duffel bags had footballs in them.”
Breaking offseason protocol has resulted in a fine previously, so it seems like a suspension is not in the cards.
Brady was also in the news for being in a public park earlier this offseason. That park was closed because of COVID-19 and the QB was ushered out of it. In this case, Tampa Bay’s Mayor apologized to Brady for enforcing the law.
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WATCH: Tom Brady’s First Day at Buccaneers’ Training Camp