With Tom Brady retiring, where do Buccaneers go from here?
Tom Brady, the quarterback of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, announced his retirement from football in an emotional video posted to his social media accounts. This is Brady's second retirement from the sport, and it appears that he is finally done playing football.
Tom Brady was set to become a free agent at the end of the season, and everyone was waiting for him to make a choice on his future. Unfortunately for football fans, the greatest to ever do it will never play another snap.
Tom Brady's decision to retire has left many puzzled as everyone thought he would continue playing football. This is not the case.
Therefore, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are suddenly left without their starting quarterback. The front office must make decisions about the franchise's future without Brady.
Three replacements for Buccaneers with Tom Brady retiring
Here are the three quarterbacks the Tampa Bay Buccaneers could sign following Brady's retirement:
#3. Jimmy Garoppolo - San Francisco 49ers
Jimmy Garoppolo will be a free agent after this season and has shown throughout his career that he can win games for a franchise. If the Bucs want to continue to contend in the NFC, signing Garoppolo could be the right choice for them.
Garoppolo, who was Tom Brady's backup in New England, fractured his foot this season, but he'll come back healthy and can help keep the franchise relevant until a crucial decision regarding their future is made.
#2. Derek Carr - Las Vegas Raiders
Another quarterback that the Buccaneers could take a look at is Derek Carr. The Bucs still have a decent defense, and if they trade for Carr, they can easily win the NFC South again.
The Raiders are looking to move on from Carr, and the Buccaneers could get him for cheap. Carr would be worth the risk for the franchise, and he could prosper in a new setting.
#1. Draft a new quarterback
Right now, there aren't many great quarterbacks available on the market, so the Buccaneers could ultimately push the reset button after Tom Brady's departure and rebuild around a young quarterback. They currently have the 19th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, and that could land them a quarterback like Anthony Richardson, who has a high upside.
Moreover, the Bucs could look to trade away some of their marquee players to get a higher draft pick and get their hands on Will Levis, who could become a good quarterback as well.
#Note: Aaron Rodgers wouldn't be an ideal option for the Bucs as he isn't sure about his future in the league.