The Buccaneers said goodbye to Jameis Winston this offseason after they signed Tom Brady away from the New England Patriots after 20 years. Winston’s five-year run with the Buccaneers resulted in zero playoff appearances for the former No. 1 overall pick and just one winning season.
While the Bucs and their fans are ecstatic to have the six-time Super Bowl champion Brady under center, the fact remains that he’ll be 43 when the 2020 season starts. Whether the Buccaneers want to admit it or not, they need to start thinking about the long-term plan for this team, not just short-term.
This week’s NFL draft will give the Bucs a chance to find a successor to Brady, which some mock drafts have them doing. And, as one AFC exec told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, there’s one quarterback in particular who would be perfect for the Buccaneers: Jacob Eason of Washington.
“He’s perfect for a Bruce Arians offense in Tampa. He wouldn’t have to move. He could sit in the pocket and throw downfield. They could develop him for a few years behind [Tom] Brady.”
If the Bucs really like Eason they may have to use their second-round pick (No. 45) to take him if other teams show interest in moving up to get him. But with other pressing needs, like running back, that might be a little too high to take a player who likely won’t see the field in 2020.
Plus, the Buccaneers already have a backup quarterback for Brady, so the team might be content to wait a year before searching for their next franchise QB in the draft.
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