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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have snagged the free agent of a lifetime when they signed Tom Brady to become their new quarterback. Brady is the ultimate competitor and the most prolific champion in NFL history.
The work is far from over in northern Florida, as a matter of fact it’s just beginning. Brady has had an assortment of specific tools at his disposal throughout his illustrious career. He’s enjoyed a confidence in his surroundings because they’ve been duplicated time and time again with different personnel.
If Tampa Bay expects to get Superbowl winning results from Brady, they will need to make some adjustments to their roster. Fortunately for all parties involved, they might not be hard to find and even better, they might be on the roster already.
Checklist :
Tampa Bay is already equipped with some key weapons, some of which are massive. Mike Evans and Chris Godwin combined for 153 catches, 2,490 yards and 17 touchdowns last season. Both have the ability to go down field and make plays. It’s almost impossible to defend the entire field when both guys are healthy.
If your football Sunday starts off with these two guys on the edges it will most likely end as a great day, with lots of scoring in between. The rest of the offense will fall right in line thanks to two “megaton bombs” on the outside.
The Brady Wall:
One key aspect for Brady in New England is an overprotective offensive line. Sure, every quarterback in NFL history could benefit from a great line but it’s almost mandatory for Brady. Now that he’s 42 (43 when the season starts) the focus on protecting him should not be first and foremost in the Bucs’ offensive plan.
Tom Brady was sacked a total of 48 times in his last two seasons in New England. Tampa Bay allowed 47 sacks to Jameis Winston in 2019. Of course some of that can be attributed to pass attempts and Winston’s habit of holding on to the ball but the line must improve in order to keep Brady in the hunt.
Tight End Reliance:
Tampa Bay also has a pair of tight ends that Brady will enjoy throwing to. O.J. Howard and Cameron Brate will provide big, immediate targets for him in the offense. The more targets for him the better and the two tight end sets will no doubt help confuse the defense on what kind of play the offense is running.
In most seasons the tight end has been Brady’s main target and having two that can catch is a massive plus for whatever the Bucs’ offense plans to be.
The Knack For YAC:
From Kevin Faulk, to Shane Vereen, to most recently James White, the names have changed over the years but the role hasn’t. These guys provide a vital piece to the Brady offense because they turn short outlet passes to first downs and in some cases big yardage plays. No matter how much pressure he sees, Brady almost always can find these players in key moments.
Ronald Jones provided a dual threat type of weapon for the Bucs last season with 1,033 yards from scrimmage. With a 10.0 yard per reception average last season, Brady could use him more in the passing attack as that threat out of the back field.
The Hot Slot:
Brady has also relied heavily on his slot receivers for the same type of plays just in a different part of the field. Brady has thrashed countless defenses by utilizing players like Wes Welker and Julian Edelman throughout his stellar run.
Their real value comes when all the other receivers are covered and you have to match them up one on one. It also becomes a problem when they get hot and their opponent has to shade help into the middle of the field, leaving the edges wide open.
The Bucs should be able to find a good slot receiver in the upcoming draft and it probably won’t cost them a high draft pick. The slot receiver might be one of the biggest staples in the Brady championship runs and will be vital for him going forward.
Tampa Bay will have the aforementioned NFL draft and a chance to grab some veterans that might be cut due to cap issues. The team should be able to plug in a piece or two to give Brady the most comfortable situation he could have outside of New England.