3 quarterback pathways for Buccaneers if Tom Brady retires

2. Trade: Russell Wilson, Jimmy Garoppolo, Aaron Rodgers

Through all the hard-won battles, Tom Brady has engendered hatred in nearly every opposing NFL fanbase. He prevented Philip Rivers from ever winning a Super Bowl, kept Peyton Manning out of quite of a few, and restricted Drew Brees to a singular ring.

Still, there are opponents of Brady who are destined to outlast him, and these veterans all share the benefit of wisdom and experience. Aaron Rodgers didn’t hide his disappointment after his latest playoff loss, the Russell Wilson rumors are swirling once again, and San Francisco seems to have their own succession plan for an inconsistent Garoppolo.

Wilson and Rodgers have made it clear they want to be on a championship team, and Brady paved the way to show veterans what’s possible down in Tampa Bay: a roster built for a skilled quarterback to inherit and command to the playoffs.

Tampa Bay could be the most appealing vacancy for any of these quarterbacks, but the fact that they’re all NFC teams makes this incredibly unlikely. If Green Bay or Seattle ever want to see the playoffs again this decade, trading to Tampa Bay would give the conference a death wish.

However, it’s worth noting that Brady and Garoppolo share the same agent in Don Yee, who has experiencing negotiating both with the Bucs and across the NFL. If there’s a deal to be done to succeed Brady, perhaps there’s a way where the two former Patriots could pass the torch in Tampa.