In quite possibly one of the most surprising moves in free agency history, future Hall of Famer Tom Brady has signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after 20 seasons with the New England Patriots. No player in NFL history has more than Brady's six Super Bowl rings, so it may be tempting to assume the Buccaneers are automatic contenders. However, there are also a few reasons why you might think otherwise.
Age
For the last few years, Tom Brady has been the ageless wonder. At an age where most quarterbacks are already retired, Brady is still putting up more than respectable numbers. However, Brady will be 43 years old by the time next season begins, and last season, the three-time MVP finally seemed to show signs of slowing down.
While Brady certainly still has enough to be a good quarterback in this league, his time is undoubtedly limited, and the change of scenery may accelerate that. We've never seen Brady without Bill Belichick by his side, and I'm not too confident in Brady's ability to play on a whole new team this late in his career.
Lack of Run Game
Although the NFL is becoming an increasingly pass-happy league, teams like the Baltimore Ravens and San Fransisco have proven that a strong run game can put a team over the top.
Unfortunately for Tampa Bay, they don't have that. Second-year running back Ronald Jones enjoyed a pretty solid sophomore campaign in 2019 but didn't do quite enough to ease concerns about the team's atrocious run game.
The Buccaneers mustered just 3.7 yards per rush, which was one of the worst marks in the league, and the offensive line surrendered a less-than-ideal 47 sacks last season.
The team has some really great options in the passing game, but with Jones and Peyton Barber leading the backfield, a lack of a consistent run game could doom Tampa Bay.
Underwhelming Defense
The Tampa Bay defense undoubtedly has some great players. Shaquil Barrett led the NFL with 19.5 sacks last season, Lavonte David is a tackling machine, and Jason Pierre-Paul has proven to still be an elite pass-rusher even at 31.
However, despite the playmakers on the team, things haven't really come together as a unit. The 28.1 points per game that the Buccaneers surrendered in 2019 was the fourth-worst mark in the NFL, and despite some promising moments from cornerbacks Carlton Davis, Sean Murphy-Bunting, and Jamel Dean, the Tampa Bay pass defense remains a mess.
Brady had the luxury of having one of the best defenses in the NFL last year, and he simply won't next season. While I believe the Buccaneers could very well win their first NFC South title since 2007, being a true Super Bowl contender is different.
Follow Us
Subscribe