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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers may be in the market for a new starting quarterback just two years after signing Tom Brady. Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians admitted the team will explore creative options to solve the quarterback void if Brady retires. Brady has been quiet about his decision, except to emphasize he plans to take his time to talk over his options with his family.
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell outlined some of the top potential alternatives for the Bucs in the event Brady walks away from the NFL. Admittedly, very few of the options are as appealing as having the G.O.A.T. behind center but the Buccaneers may be forced to find a solution sooner rather than later. Barnwell believes Colts quarterback Carson Wentz could be a potential trade target for Tampa Bay.
“If you want to know how Arians feels about Wentz, consider who the then-Cardinals coach compared him to in 2017,” Barnwell explained on January 27. “Arians admitted that he loved Wentz coming out of school and grouped him with Luck and Roethlisberger, Arians’ two best pupils. Given Wentz’s size (6-foot-5) and almost fatalistic desire to extend plays within the pocket, Arians would likely love to work with Wentz if Brady retires.
“…The Bucs would also have to get creative to fit Wentz’s deal on their salary cap. He has just under $82 million over the next three seasons for a Tampa Bay team that would actually lose part of the $15 million in cap space it is currently projected to hold if Brady retires. The Bucs could be flexible if necessary, but would they have their own questions about investing in a player who would be on his third franchise in three seasons? Arians might want to push for a Wentz trade, but it wouldn’t be without risks.”
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The Colts Traded First & Third-Round Picks for Wentz in 2021
The Colts traded first and third-round picks to the Eagles for Wentz last offseason and are unlikely to land something similar in a new deal from the Bucs. Wentz threw for 3,563 yards, 27 touchdowns and seven interceptions while completing 62.4% of his passes during the 2021 season. The quarterback’s consistency is not what you expect from a player with a four-year, $128 million contract, something that will likely make him hard to deal this offseason.
Wentz still has three seasons remaining on his deal and is set to have a $22 million salary in 2022. The one appealing caveat for the Buccaneers or any team potentially exploring a trade for Wentz is his contract has a potential out next offseason, per Spotrac. In other words, Arians gets a season to work with Wentz and the team can move on from the veteran quarterback in one year if they are not sold on him as the long-term solution.
Arians being the so-called “quarterback whisperer” could give the Bucs some optimism that they can return Wentz back to being a Pro Bowl quarterback and the prospect the Eagles selected with the No. 2 pick in the 2016 NFL draft.
The Bucs Are Open to Exploring ‘Door No. 2’: Signing a Free-Agent Quarterback
The Buccaneers could opt to turn over the offense to second-year quarterback Kyle Trask or Blaine Gabbert if Brady retires. That said, the Bucs roster is built to win now, and Arians hinted at exploring more proven options.
“I’d be comfortable if it is [a quarterback on the roster],” Arians explained during his January 24 press conference. “I like what we have, but again, you never know what’s behind Door No. 2. We kind of went down that road two years ago and there was Tom Brady. We’ll have to wait and see.”
Whoever replaces Brady in Tampa, whether it is next season or in the years to come, is likely going to be a bit of a disappointment. There is a chance the Bucs could acquire Wentz for a day-two draft selection, and his contract layout for 2023 makes him a veteran quarterback option who should not be ruled out for the right price.
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