Tom Brady has yet to take a snap in a regular season game for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but already his arrival to the Sunshine State has fans thinking Super Bowl title. And it seems the stage is set for Brady to write the perfect ending to his Hollywood story, as Super Bowl LV is set to be played at Raymond James Stadium next season.
Buccaneers fans must still be pinching themselves at the thought of Brady in a Tampa Bay uniform tossing long balls to Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. Having him under center instantly makes the Bucs a threat in the NFC, and Gil Brandt had Brady at No. 1 on his list of the top 10 quarterbacks to change teams this offseason.
Here’s what Brandt had to say about Brady’s move:
“Setting aside for the moment the fact that the NFL Players Association’s medical director recommended against players gathering together before training camp, there is one key takeaway from the June workouts Tom Brady held with his new Bucs teammates: The soon-to-be 43-year-old is determined to prove he can win outside of Bill Belichick’s shadow. The stage is set for that to happen in Tampa, where the former Patriot will be surrounded by a stellar group of pass catchers led by receiver Mike Evans and tight end Rob Gronkowski. The offense should also get plenty of support from a defensive unit that boasts 11 returning starters and showed marked improvement in the second half of last season. It was obvious the Bucs — who have not made the playoffs in 12 straight seasons — were stuck in neutral with Jameis Winston at quarterback. Brady makes this team relevant and dangerous once again.”
Speaking of Winston, Brandt had him listed at No. 8.
“Here’s a startling stat: Over the past five seasons, Winston has committed a jaw-dropping 107 turnovers, including 88 interceptions and 19 lost fumbles (out of 50 fumbles committed). The top overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft knew something needed to change, so he took a low-end one-year deal in New Orleans with the hopes of reinventing himself via the tutelage of Sean Payton and an up-close look at how Drew Brees goes about his business. Winston likely realizes he might never see the field with the Saints, but there is also the chance he could parlay playing time into a starting job — a la Bridgewater — either elsewhere or even, potentially, in New Orleans, depending on what the 41-year-old Brees decides to do after this season. At just 26 years old, Winston is young enough to grow into a solid NFL quarterback. Let’s hope it happens with the Saints — otherwise, he’ll spend the rest of his career on a sideline somewhere.”
I think most Bucs fans will be rooting for Winston to find success at some point down the road. Hopefully, his year with the Saints will help him get back on track.
For now, though, Bucs fans can turn their focus on Brady and the 2020 season.
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