Winners and losers from Tom Brady signing with the Buccaneers
By Matt Graves
The NFL offseason has been bizarre. Tom Brady is leaving the New England Patriots for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
After a prolific 20-year career with New England, Tom Brady will sign a multi-year deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The news blew up Twitter, but what’s interesting is that Tampa Bay has never had a true franchise quarterback in its history. Steve Young was the closest player to that until he was traded to the San Francisco 49ers. Hopefully, the arrival of one of the greatest quarterbacks ever will turn those fortunes around.
Who are the winners and losers of this bombshell signing? Let’s take a look.
Winner: Bruce Arians
The 67-year-old coach has had success working with elite NFL quarterbacks. During his coaching career, Arians has worked with Peyton Manning, Ben Roethlisberger, and Carson Palmer. There’s a strong chance that Brady in-part based his decision on the opportunity to work with Arians, a self-proclaimed “quarterback whisperer.”
With a new change of scenery and head coach, Brady will have to start familiarizing himself with Arian’s “No risk it, no biscuit,” mantra.
Loser: Brady’s Replacement
Watching the Brady-Belichick era come to end will be a tough pill to swallow for fans. Pats fans will have to move on and they’ll be skeptical of who takes over.
Andy Dalton and Cam Newton are viable options. Whoever that is, they’ll have some big shoes to fill after Brady’s departure.
Loser: NFC South
Brady joining Tampa Bay changes the landscape of the NFC. They don’t appear to be a Super Bowl contender, but they look like a playoff contender. That being said, there are plenty of contenders who await Brady’s arrival. Plus, the new playoff format will make things more competitive as eight different teams look to reach the postseason.
Let’s hope NBC gives the fans a Sunday night matchup of Brees vs. Brady. That would be intriguing to watch.
Winner: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
It wasn’t cheap to bring in the six-time Super Bowl champion. Yet Brady is a massive upgrade over Jamies Winston, who’s turnovers plagued him much of his career. This should be a change for the Bucs, who haven’t been to the playoffs since 2007.
Brady now has tremendous offensive talent around him. The Bucs offense includes wide receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, and tight ends O.J. Howard and Cameron Brate. That’s a group that could do a lot of damage on the field.
Winner: The Rest of AFC East
No Brady? No problem.
It’s a sigh of relief for the rest of the Patriots’ division rivals. The Buffalo Bills look like the team who could take the division crown next season. The New York Jets have Sam Darnold and are continuing to add around him. Meanwhile, the Miami Dolphins added some key components to their offseason, and it’s looking likely they’ll draft Tua Tagovailoa in April.
Loser: Los Angeles Chargers
After the Chargers and Phillip Rivers parted ways, it was a possibility Brady could land there. The Chargers are in need of a difference-maker even if head coach Anthony Lynn seems confident in Tyrod Taylor. His game isn’t the same as Brady’s, and it shouldn’t be a surprise if the Chargers go out and draft a quarterback with the sixth-overall pick.