Tom Brady Signing Best NFL Move Of 2020
January 29th, 2021
Winner.
Joe understands some will read the headline and say to themselves, “Duh.” And they will likely say something worse.
But hold on. Joe’s not finished.
Dan Graziano of BSPN believesthe best move of any team in 2020 was the Bucs signing park-violating, home-invading, NFLPA-ignoring, down-forgetting, handshake-stiffing, jet-ski-losing, biscuit-baking Bucs quarterback Tom Brady and it is not even up for debate.
Honestly, what more could they have asked from this? The Bucs weren’t on many people’s lists of obvious Brady destinations when the offseason started, but they pitched him on the idea that they were a team on the cusp — ready to win if they could get someone like him to bring calm, reliability and a championship mindset into the building.
There were hiccups along the way and times when it looked as if they weren’t good enough to get here. But underestimating Brady has been a bad bet for a couple of decades now. Tampa Bay sure is happy it didn’t underestimate (a) the impact he would have on its team, or (b) its ability to get him.
The only thing more one could ask for is one more win in February. That’s all.
Joe appeared on the ScuttleBucs podcast this week and co-host Jeff Cameron asked Joe to try to put a financial figure on how much signing Brady means to the Bucs.
Joe couldn’t do it, as who knows how much The Sickness has cost the team in ticket sales, suite sales, concessions, parking, gear sales, you name it?
However, what Joe did tell Cameron is that Brady’s experience and how he single-handedly turned the Bucs from losers into winners is invaluable.
Why? Look at all the good young players the Bucs have who have played two or less years. Tristan Wirfs, Devin White, Antoine Winfield, Sean Murphy-Bunting, Jamel Dean, Tyler Johnson. Brady taught those guys how to turn their talent into winners; showed them what it takes to practice and play at a championship level.
Brady won’t be here for long. The aforementioned players could be here for a decade, maybe longer. They will pass along lessons learned from Brady to future draft picks and free agents.
“This is what Tom Brady said… “ You don’t think that will get a younger teammate’s attention?
Being able to impact a franchise after you left, you can’t put a dollar figure on something like that.
Also in the linked story, the possible Bucs quarterback who may have come here if Brady didn’t want to sign, Teddy Bridgewater, is listed in one of the most disappointing moves of the past year. He really did have a meh season.
Joe has a hunch if the Bucs signed Bridgewater like Arians discussed openly, not only would the Bucs be in the market for a quarterback this spring, they may have also been in the market for a few other positions as well.
January 29th, 2021 at 11:08 am
The Brady move was good for other things too, like the addition of a whole new Fan Base of New England people who have jumped on the Bucs bandwagon.
The Loser in all of this is Bill Belichik, who has been revealed to be a mere mortal w/o Brady.
I think one more average season, and he is done in New England.
Someone has to pay for the loss of Tom Brady, and guess who it is gonna be!
January 29th, 2021 at 11:09 am
Imagine how fans are going to swarm to the stadium when we win the Superbowl. Usually it’s a welcome at the Airport. Now we have them here the whole time. Crazy stuff!
January 29th, 2021 at 11:14 am
imagine jordan leaving CHI and taking the wizards to the finals the very next year….lol…
GO BUCS!!!!
January 29th, 2021 at 11:16 am
And brady was paid as the 15th best contract in nfl for QB
Tied with a few others so you could say 15, 16 or 17th which would be NFL average
He took a team that was last in its own division 6 or last 7 years ? And took them to a super bowl in first season. Cause for years we have been told “oh its a new system or he is on his third coach? And BA was called overrated last year with out former QB
When you’re great …you’re great
🐐
January 29th, 2021 at 11:21 am
Ya think?
January 29th, 2021 at 11:33 am
@Rayjay, I’m thinking a few hours before the game there is gonna be a mob to greet the players as well.
January 29th, 2021 at 11:47 am
“Brady won’t be here for long” Exactly – which is why the Bucs need to find (draft?) Brady’s understudy. Picking either 31st or 32nd though, it will most likely be impossible. Pretty sure Blaine Gabbert or Ryan Griffin are not the answer.
January 29th, 2021 at 12:01 pm
For his 45th birthday, Brady should be offered a newly created coaching position to be filled when he decides to retire as a player. The new position could be called “attitude” coach(or something like that) and be totally separate from the “fluid” coaching staff so it doesn’t disappear with the next coaching regime.
Sure would be nice to have a “dynasty” right here in Tampa Bay!
Just a thought.
January 29th, 2021 at 12:08 pm
Jaymiss
Brady went in the sixth round. Russell Wilson in the 3rd round…Jaymiss himself…the number one freaking pick in the draft! Right behind him another can’t miss QB Marcus Mariota. How have those two worked out.
When you spend an overall #1 pick it’s hard to truly know how many great players we gave up in that draft but it’s probably 3-4 after the trade.
I certainly get that the higher you pick the better your chances…but it’s still a crap shoot. Can you say…
JAMARCUS RUSSELL.
RYAN LEAF.
AKILI SMITH.
HEATH SHULER.
JAKE LOCKER.
Blaine Gabbert had a decent season in SF on a losing team. He’s not the answer but he IS a competent backup.
I wish we could get Mac Jones…he’s considered 5th or 6th best prospect lumped in with Kyle Trask. Jones style is very similar to Brady’s. He would be the perfect understudy. And we should keep an open mind. If Brady wants two more years before hanging them up…Jones could wait like Aaron Rodgers behind Favre.
Jones not quite as tall but at 6-3 tall enough. He might fall all the way to us or certainly close enough where we wouldn’t need a ton of draft capital to move up.
January 29th, 2021 at 1:49 pm
@813. I was and always will be a Jordan fan but I wasn’t necessarily a Bulls fan. With that said, everything about Jordan leaving Chicago felt wrong. That was a choice by MJ but NE basically pushed Brady out the door and it looks like it was at least 1 year too soon. Heads will roll up north.
January 29th, 2021 at 1:54 pm
Posted previously, please ignore.
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tickrdr Says:
March 11th, 2020 at 12:47 pm
So, as I’ve posted before, if JW3 is NOT “the guy”, then the amount to pay him makes absolutely no difference, even if it is a relative pittance, and therefore I hope we move on.
To me, the next question is can the Bucs win enough next year to get in the playoffs? If that answer is NO, then the best option at QB becomes the best available CHEAP option as a “bridge QB” and drafting their next stab at a “franchise QB”. (And moving up in the draft as necessary, and using as much draft capital/players as that takes to get your choice of QB). That allows keeping the rest of the team intact, and below the salary cap. Unfortunately, that likely wastes the next year, waiting for a long-term answer at “franchise QB” to develop.
That looks like this:
– Start Gabbert, Keenum, Glennon, or Dalton, and draft a future QB in the 1st round. My choices would be: Herbert> Eason> Fromm>Tua>>Love.
If the answer is YES, and you think you can get to the playoffs, and try to win NOW, then the choices are the best QB you can get regardless of cost, or long-term viability.
That looks like this:
-Sign Brady>Rivers for short-term shot at playoffs, and again draft a QB.
or consider a longer term perspective with Carr(not a free agent)>Tannehill>Bridgewater>Dalton.
JMHO.
tickrdr
January 29th, 2021 at 1:58 pm
tickrdr Says:
March 30th, 2020 at 8:25 pm
@SB:
I’m still hoping that they package OJ Howard and pick(s) to move up in the draft to get Herbert.
tickrdr
Self-professed “clueless” fan, but FWIW, I voted trade down in every single JBF poll, before making the big JabooBoo.
January 29th, 2021 at 2:01 pm
Kudos to Caleb
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Caleb Lee Says:
March 19th, 2020 at 3:28 pm
As much as I’d like us to draft an offensive lineman in the first round I think if you take a step back and ponder the fact that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to develope our future QB under the tutelage of Tom freaking Brady you may change your tune like I did.
Couple points:
1) We will have a much lower draft choice next year.. so we have a better shot at a higher quality QB this year.
2) There’s no guarantee Tom plays more than one year – Draft a signal caller now and let him soak up the knowledge until the window is closed and we no longer have the QB whisperer and the GOAT molding this pick.
3) Our guys WILL fight harder to protect Tom in the pocket because he will keep them accountable. Their game will be raised so not as much pressure to draft OL with our first selection.
If we play this resurgence smart then this is the perfect dream scenario to groom our guy and set us up for more than just the next few years.
I would prefer to take our chances on trading up for Justin Herbert. I feel his IQ, measurables and talent would be a great student under TB12. If we don’t then I hope we shoot for Eason out of UW. I live an hour north of Seattle – the kid can play.
Thank you Joe’s for keeping the people sane with football talk during this time.
From
tickrdr Says:
March 19th, 2020 at 7:56 pm
@Caleb Lee:
Excellent post, and couldn’t agree more with your thinking, and for the exact reasons you laid out so beautifully!
tickrdr
January 29th, 2021 at 2:10 pm
Bridgewater would of steered us to a 7 W and 9 L season
January 29th, 2021 at 4:00 pm
I do think/know TB12 has made a difference, but had he and Teddy B switched places, Panthers still would not have made the playoffs and the Bucs would be a playoff team (depending on injuries – no Brady, no Gronk and he OJ injury would be glaring. Not sure about JPP and Suh, they just needed someone not to turn the ball over), Bucs would still be a playoff team, maybe not SB, if Teddy was in pewter & Red
January 29th, 2021 at 7:05 pm
I think Teddy would have done well with us. Not THIS good but I think we would have been happy with him because we wouldn’t have known this sht was even possible!
January 29th, 2021 at 7:32 pm
If we signed Teddy Bridgewater, we’d be in the market for a new coach and GM
January 29th, 2021 at 11:44 pm
No one’s head will roll in New England, lol. It’s obvious that they tanked for a QB. Give Bill a couple years and they’ll be competing again.
No one really thought he felt Cam was good enough to replace Brady, did they?
If we win the Superbowl, the chances are very high that Brady will retire. If he does, who replaces him?
Stafford? Rodgers? Big Ben? Each of these three might be available this off season.
Or do we hope a draft pick works out?
Blaine Gabbert is not the solution.
January 29th, 2021 at 11:48 pm
rrsrq no way would we be a playoff team with Bridgewater. Winston is better than Teddy and we couldn’t do it with him.
We also would not have had Suh orr JPP return.
January 30th, 2021 at 8:29 am
Holy f’ing crap Bonzai you are wrong all over the place. IT is actually kinda breath taking with the crap you just spewed. The patriots did not tank for one. Belichick doesnt tank, 7-9 is not tanking – going balls to the wall last game of the yr is not tanking. What kinda crank have you been buying off Nebraska avenue? Lastly – chances are not high that Brady is retiring if he wins the superbowl. He is on record of saying hes coming back. Period. Gronk is also on record of wanting to return. This is the problem with the internet, drivel/propaganda is spewed and in turn is adopted as gospel by people that dont know any better and misinformation just keeps getting spread
January 30th, 2021 at 5:38 pm
Not just the player, but the influence…the leader. The irony is this: Brady replaced one of the best arms in the NFL in New England to get started…never stopped winning. Now, he’s replacing…one of the best arms in the NFL, again. So, what’s the lesson?
Like I posted before game 1: Brady is not broken…but he may appeared as such under Belichick. Man, that was painful to watch in his last NE season! Belichick went out of his way to move TB12 out of town, after being unsuccessful in trading him (to San Francisco). Any true Brady fan- most of New England -had to ask: What would this guy be like with a great cast? Good for football; great for Tampa!
I would rather see Brady thrive elsewhere than be subjugated to a coach that dreams of winning with just special teams and defense. Look away! And Tampa Bay is ideal. Go Bucs!