With or without Brady, Bucs will look different
One thing Tom Brady certainly recognizes as he takes time to ponder his future: The Buccaneers roster next season figures to look a lot different — with or without the seven-time Super Bowl winner.
Unlike last spring when the Bucs defied the odds by retaining every starter from a star-laden lineup that won the franchise’s second NFL championship, general manager Jason Licht and coach Bruce Arians are not in a position to replicate that.
First of all, there’s the 44-year-old Brady and his impending decision whether he will retire or return for a 23rd overall and third season with Tampa Bay, whose bid to become the first team in nearly two decades to repeat as Super Bowl champs ended with a 30-27 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the divisional round of the playoffs.
Brady has one year left on his contract and has said in the past he’d like to play until he’s at least 45, maybe even beyond.
But after leading the NFL this season in completions, attempts, passing yards and touchdowns — while also guiding the Bucs to the most successful regular season in club history — he’s not ready to say which way he may be leaning for 2022.
“I haven’t put a lot of thought into it, so you know, we will just take it day by day and kind of see where we are at,” Brady said after Sunday’s loss.
Arians reiterated Monday there’s no timetable for a decision from Brady.
“I haven’t talked to him yet,” Arians said. “Take all the time he needs. We’ll see.”
In the meantime, there’s plenty of other planning to do.
Nearly half the roster is eligible for free agency, including wide receiver Chris Godwin; tight ends Rob Gronkowski and O.J. Howard; running backs Leonard Fournette, Ronald Jones and Giovani Bernard; linebacker Jason Pierre-Paul; cornerback Carlton Davis; safety Jordan Whitehead; defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh; offensive linemen Ryan Jenson and Alex Cappa; and defensive lineman William Gholston.
Arians said the goal as usual is to “reload” rather than rebuild, with an emphasis on re-signing as many of their own free agents as possible.
“We’ll see how many we can get back and then build the team from there. ... Each year is so different and so new,” the coach said. “Last year, to get everybody back was amazing. Doubt we can do it all again this year, but we’re sure going to give it our best.”
REID QUESTIONS OVERTIME SETUP >>
Even the winning coach, in this case Andy Reid, is questioning the NFL’s overtime setup.
One day after Reid’s Chiefs won the OT coin toss, then marched downfield for Travis Kelce’s 8-yard touchdown reception to end an epic divisional round game with Buffalo, Reid recognized how fortunate Kansas City was.
“I had a chance to talk with Sean afterward,” Reid said of Bills coach Sean McDermott, “and that I’m sure is something they’re going to look at again, too. And I wouldn’t be opposed to it — it’s a hard thing. It was great for us last night, but is it great for the game, which is the most important thing we should all be looking out for? To make things equal, it probably needs to be able to hit both offenses, both defenses.”