Buccaneers Could Land Pro Bowl QB In Tom Brady's Replacement As Part Of Blockbuster Trade
At approximately 6 a.m. Eastern Standard Time on Wednesday, one of the most revered careers in professional sports annals came to a close. Subsequently, Tom Brady, who spent a remarkable 23 years as a National Football League quarterback, publicly announced his retirement approximately two hours after informing his former team.
With the conclusion of this era, Pro Football Network's Ian Wharton has hypothesized a scenario that would result in the Buccaneers acquiring Seattle Seahawks quarterback, Geno Smith. Although Smith is also set to become a free agent, there is speculation that the Seahawks plan to employ the franchise tag on the 32-year-old, who was named a Pro Bowler for the first time in his career in 2022.
Wharton's hypothetical scenario involves the Seahawks utilizing the franchise tag on Smith before executing a trade with the Buccaneers. He states, "Brady has performed poorly this season, appearing physically slow and missing pre-snap cues that he once executed with unrivaled proficiency in NFL history." Wharton further points out that "the Buccaneers offensive line has not provided Brady with adequate support, and offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich has failed to find a solution. Moving from Brady to Smith would represent a substantial improvement for the Buccaneers, however, such a transition would necessitate intricate salary cap maneuvering and might come at the cost of their first-round pick."
In contrast, Smith is coming off the most successful season of his career, leading the NFL in completion percentage while placing highly in several passing categories. If the Buccaneers were to pursue Smith, they would likely have to surrender a first-round pick. Additionally, the Seahawks and Smith share a mutual interest in continuing their partnership in 2023, which further hinders a potential trade.
Although Smith is a viable option for the Buccaneers, the team is more apt to undertake a rebuilding effort in the aftermath of Brady's departure than signing a seasoned quarterback.
