There’s no questioning the football IQ and body of work Tom Brady will bring to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
But it’s fair to say that, purely from a skills perspective, the legendary quarterback’s best days are behind him.
So why, then, did the Bucs value Brady over Teddy Bridgwater, a 27-year-old who has revived his career and comes with a cheaper annual price tag?
It appears we have our answer. NBC Sports’ Peter King explained in his latest Football Morning in America column.
“To replace Jameis Winston, Tampa Bay chose the sugar-rush deal with Brady over a more secure long-haul signing of the 27-year-old Teddy Bridgewater for two reasons: The team believes Brady has a couple of Super Bowl-contending seasons left, and GM Jason Licht and Arians believe there are pieces in place in Tampa to help him win his seventh championship. They also think Brady’s never-ending search for perfection — as a player and in his personal and physical lives — will live on in his teammates at One Buc Place after Brady leaves.”
Bridgewater ended up signing a reported three-year, $63 million deal with the Carolina Panthers.
The Bucs clearly think putting Brady in the right situation with an enviable arsenal of weapons will be able to get things out of him the Patriots were unable to do the last couple years.
We’ll just have to wait and see if that gamble ends up working out.
