The Tampa Bay Buccaneers made one of the biggest splashes of NFL free agency by signing former New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady.
Of course, Brady's arrival will mean the departure of former No. 1 overall pick Jameis Winston, who led the NFL in passing yards (5,109) and interceptions (30) last season.
The Bucs thanked Winston on Twitter for his five years with the organization on Sunday.
From the bottom of our hearts…
Thank you, 3⃣ 🙏 pic.twitter.com/irYANWpfz7
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) March 22, 2020
Winston went 28-42 with the Buccaneers over the course of his tenure. He made the Pro Bowl in his rookie season and nearly brought the Bucs to the playoffs in 2016, but his career has been plagued by turnover troubles and inconsistency.
Tampa Bay approached free agency with a bit of urgency, making their intentions to sign Brady very clear especially in the last week or two. Even if they failed to sign Brady, it seems likely they have pursued alternatives to Winston at the quarterback position.
There had been skepticism about whether the Patriots would actually look to pursue Winston as Brady's replacement in New England, though Michael Giardi of NFL Network reported such a scenario was “unlikely.”
Asked high ranking #Patriots official if they had interest in Jameis Winston. Seems unlikely at this juncture. @nflnetwork
— Mike Giardi (@MikeGiardi) March 20, 2020
In fact, it seems Winston is unlikely to be the starter under center for any team in football, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.
Jameis Winston isn't expected to land a starting QB job this season, per @AdamSchefter
Jameis last season:
No. 1 in passing yards
No. 2 in TDs
No. 1 in picks pic.twitter.com/yRrwTRrXK0— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) March 17, 2020
Most of the marquee quarterback options are off the board.
New Orleans Saints legend Drew Brees is returning to the Big Easy. Brady signed with the Buccaneers, and former Los Angeles Chargers signal-caller Philip Rivers signed a one-year deal with the Indianapolis Colts. Meanwhile, Teddy Bridgewater signed a three-year deal to become the new starting quarterback of the Carolina Panthers.
Winston's NFL future remains unknown, but the Bucs made sure to thank him for his service to the franchise.
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