Tom Brady’s retirement ushers in new, daunting era for the Bucs
It was always going to be the retirement or another season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for Tom Brady, but the GOAT has chosen the latter, hanging up his cleats after a legendary 23-year career in the NFL.
Brady’s retirement will actually help alleviate some of the Bucs’ salary cap burden this year, but still leaves the team with a massive question mark at the game’s most important position heading into 2023.
Even without Brady, the Bucs still have a long list of free agents to re-sign, many of them key contributors on both sides of the ball. Even if they save the $24 million they could by pushing some of Brady’s dead cap hit to 2024, the Bucs would still project to be over this year’s salary cap by around $30 million, without re-signing the likes of Lavonte David, Jamel Dean and others.
Brady’s incredible three-year stint in Tampa Bay was defined by the same greatness that followed him from his two decades in New England, as the Bucs were immediately held to his high standard, and for the most part, lived up to it. They enjoyed the most successful three-year run in franchise history, making the playoffs every year, winning the NFC South the last two seasons, and scoring their second Lombardi Trophy in Brady’s first season with the team.
But now, as Brady rides off into the sunset, the Bucs have only Kyle Trask under contract at quarterback for the 2023 season right now, and their cap situation makes it unlikely that they would be able to pursue a high-priced veteran to replace the GOAT. They also pick 19th overall in the first round of the 2023 NFL draft, too late to select any of this year’s top quarterback prospects without trading up.
It’s been a pretty charmed life for the Bucs over these three years with Brady, but with that long list of free agents, a daunting salary cap situation, and a gaping hole at quarterback, this pirate ship appears to be headed for some choppy waters.
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Bucs fans react to Tom Brady's retirement
