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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers could make a trade for Tom Brady’s successor, according to one analyst.
According to Fox Sports’ Colin Cowherd, the Buccaneers should make a trade for San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo to prepare for life after Brady. Garoppolo actually previously served as Brady’s backup with the New England Patriots from 2014 until 2017 when he was traded to the 49ers.
“You could bring him to Tampa behind Brady,” Cowherd said. “Just say, ‘Hey, Kyle Trask isn’t ready next year, we are going to bring in Jimmy to back him up.’ I don’t know if the finances work, I haven’t looked at that. But to me, it would work solely because of Jimmy. I don’t know if Tom would like it, but Jimmy would be fine with it.”
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Buccaneers Could Prepare for Life After Brady
While Brady hasn’t declared that the 2022 season is his last, many believe that this is the last ride for the 23-year veteran. The 45-year-old quarterback has yet to commit to playing next season and has given signals that he could be entering his final season.
Garoppolo underwent offseason surgery and might not be fully ready for training camp. That has undoubtedly hurt the 30-year-old’s trade value, as he remains without a potential suitor heading into camp.
Despite his rough injury history — Garoppolo has missed 25 games during the last four years with the Niners — Cowherd believes a trade is worth it for the Buccaneers.
“Jimmy Garoppolo is the world’s best bridge quarterback,” Cowherd said. “He wins, he has been in good games, he’s not that expensive, he’s willing to be a backup, he’ll never screw you at the podium, everybody in the room likes him, he’s got dude quality.”
Cowherd continued to vouch for Garoppolo, mentioning his winning success as a quarterback. The veteran quarterback has led the Niners to a Super Bowl and an NFC Championship Game in his two lone full seasons as starter.
“… He has gone into Lambeau and beaten [Aaron Rodgers],” Cowherd continued. “He has played in cold weather and hot weather. He has played Mahomes in a Super Bowl. And he is good in the locker room.”
Why the Bucs Aren’t Likely to Trade for Jimmy G
Considering there aren’t any vacancies for teams looking for a starting quarterback, Garoppolo will likely have to settle into a backup role if he’s traded prior to the start of the season. The Buccaneers would provide the perfect opportunity for Garoppolo to step in as starter once Brady retires.
However, there’s one major problem — Garoppolo’s cap figure. The veteran quarterback has a yearly cash figure of nearly $26 million this season.
With Tampa Bay holding roughly $12.5 million in salary cap space, a move isn’t exactly feasible. However, if the 49ers are truly desperate to get rid of Garoppolo, they could work out a deal where they absorb a great portion of his contract upon trading him.
While this seems like a great idea on paper, the move simply isn’t very likely to happen. The Buccaneers haven’t shown any real interest in acquiring Brady’s former backup and the salary cap logistics indicate a move is unlikely.
With the Buccaneers carrying four quarterbacks — the same four quarterbacks they carried last season — Tampa Bay isn’t likely to be in play for Jimmy G.
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