2-Time Super Bowl Champion Quarterback to the Buccaneers?
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers may not be done adding to their quarterback room according to Dan Graziano of ESPN.
With the imminent retirement of Tom Brady just around the corner, the Buccaneers can and should be looking for a quarterback to replace Brady once he indeed makes that decision.
Rumors and talk have already swirled about Baker Mayfield being a possibility, but now there could be a new veteran QB in the drawing hat for the Bucs.
According to Graziano, the Bucs will not only have a shot at landing Mayfield, but they could also look at soon-to-be-former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.
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Since both quarterbacks are seemingly on the out with their respective franchises and haven’t been traded up to this point, it is highly speculated that they both will be released. Ultimately this would make Garoppolo and Mayfield free agents.
Per Graziano,
“They’re (Vikings) set this season with Kirk Cousins but could move on from him after the year,” said Graziano. “This is an example of a place where Mayfield or Garoppolo wouldn’t start right away but could position himself as the team’s starter in 2023, the way Winston did with the Saints in 2020. That could be possible elsewhere, including with the Buccaneers, Eagles, Cardinals, Titans and Raiders.”
The signing of Jimmy Garoppolo would be an interesting one of course since he spent the beginning of his career backing up Tom Brady while with the New England Patriots.
It would make to be seamless fit since both Garoppolo and Brady have experience working with each other. During his four years with the Patriots, Garoppolo won two Super Bowls as Brady's backup, including the 2016 season when he filled in for a suspended Brady to open up the season.
Prior to his most recent injury concerns over the past couple of seasons with the 49ers, Garoppolo has been an above-average NFL quarterback since moving out of the backup role.
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Over the course of his 49ers five-year stint, Garoppolo has amassed 11,162 yards and 66 touchdowns with a completion percentage of 67.7%. He also led the 49ers to Super Bowl LIV in 2019 where they lost by just a touchdown to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Adding Garoppolo would look like an immediate upgrade at the backup quarterback role and would slot him in as the successor to Brady in Tampa Bay.
Although Blaine Gabbert and Kyle Trask are serviceable backups they are not what the Buccaneers should be looking at if they wish to maintain a high level of play once Brady does in fact decide to retire from the NFL.
Garoppolo is a proven starting quarterback in the NFL. If the Buccaneers don't go after Mayfield, Garoppolo should be the next target. If they don't land either of these quarterbacks it will be interesting to see what the team's decision at the position will be moving forward with the retirement of Brady right around the corner.
