Getty Images Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady
The Buccaneers are ushering in a new era with Tom Brady at the quarterback position. While there is excitement in the building, everyone understands that coming together may take some work.
“Everyone sees football a little bit different,” Brady said while adding that he hopes everyone can be on the “same page”. Tampa Bay still hasn’t had a full practice.
Brady added that the coronavirus pandemic added complexity to coming together.
“The only thing you can do is adjust to the situation and adapt the best way you can,” Brady said. “Put as much time and energy now as we can into it. I think the reality is that the clock is ticking on everybody. We’re gonna have to work as hard as we can and not waste any minutes of any day trying to get used to each other — embrace the challenge and see what we can become.”
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Check Out Brady’s Full Press Conference
Only One Buccaneers Player Opts Out
Concerns over the safety of playing amid the COVID-19 pandemic still exist and NFL players have the right to opt-out of the 2020 season. Sixty-nine players have chosen to opt-out, as Pro Football Action captures in its COVID-19 Opt-Out Tracker.
Tackle Brad Seaton is the only member of the Buccaneers on that list. Seaton, who spent 2017 and 2019 on the franchise’s practice squad, was no lock to make the roster, though he could have provided the team with depth on the offensive line.
The NFC South hasn’t had too many players opt-out. The Panthers and Saints each have two players (none of which are starters) opting out and the Falcons currently have no players choosing to sit out the season.
Tight end Cameron Brate, who was one of the participants in Brady’s drills earlier this offseason, announced that he tested positive for COVID-19. Brate has recovered and the 29-year-old made a video promoting the donation of plasma from people who have recovered from COVID-19.
Brady Talks Talent Level, Working Out With Gronk Again
“We’ve had different times to work out together,” Brady said of Rob Gronkowski. The QB added that it’s been fun to get to know everyone on the team
“It’s up to everyone to earn their role…you get out of it what you put into it,” Brady explained.
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).
Evans and Chris Godwin are both coming off monster seasons where each of them surpassed 1,000 receiving yards. Both are expected to thrive again in year-one of Brady’s Tampa Bay tenure.
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, Gronkowski, and Brate.