Tom Brady replacements: 3 quarterbacks Bucs can add if he retires

1. Jimmy Garoppolo

Jimmy Garoppolo was drafted by the New England Patriots to be Brady’s successor. That never happened, after the Patriots traded Garoppolo to the San Francisco 49ers. But what if it finally happens in Tampa?

Garoppolo’s days in San Francisco were numbered ever since the 49ers traded up to the third-overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft to select one of the top quarterback prospects. That turned out to be North Dakota State’s Trey Lance, who is going to take over for Garoppolo at some point, which could be as soon as 2022.

Entering the new league year, Garoppolo has just one year remaining on his deal before becoming an unrestricted free agent. But, the team could potentially trade him for some sort of a return. Will it be much of an asking price? Probably not, considering he did not wow 49ers fans or NFL fans as a whole with his performances and that he carries a $26.9 million cap hit in 2022.

The quarterback options this offseason are not the greatest. If the Buccaneers want to take a flyer on Garoppolo for one year in Tampa’s loaded offense, it wouldn’t be a bad move for the organization to consider if Brady does call it a career.