Rumors over the last couple of days have linked the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with veteran quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. With starting signal caller Baker Mayfield dealing with a minor hand injury, the need for a solid backup option behind him has become more apparent. That thought hasn't been lost on Buccaneers GM Jason Licht, who spoke about Bridgewater during his press conference Tuesday. According to PFT's Myles Simmons, Licht said the team would have brought in Bridgewater if they weren't able to lure in Tom Brady back in 2020.
“General Manager Jason Licht noted during his Tuesday press conference that Bridgewater was the team’s Plan B in 2020 if Tom Brady had elected to sign with a different team,” wrote Simmons on Tuesday.
While Brady ended up calling Tampa Bay home after his legendary run with the New England Patriots, he certainly could have ended up elsewhere. Other teams, such as the Las Vegas Raiders, were interested in bringing in Brady. However, he ended up with the Buccaneers. His final three years in the league were just as good as his time in New England. The quarterback known as the “GOAT” won his seventh Super Bowl with the Bucs after the 2020 season and led the team to the postseason in 2021 and 2022 before he retired. Would Bridgewater been able to do the same?
What would have happened if Tom Brady didn't sign with Buccaneers in 2020?
It's tough to say whether or not Bridgewater would have had the same success. After all, once Brady arrived, he worked with former head coach Bruce Arians and the offensive staff to meld his experience in New England with the Bucs offensive system. The legendary signal caller won six Super Bowls during his time in Foxboro.
For as solid as Bridgewater played during his career, it's safe to say the odds of Licht and the Buccaneers having as much success as they did under Brady wouldn't have been as high. There are so many reasons why Brady is considered to be the Greatest of All Time. Bridgewater might not ever reach the levels that Brady did. But if can help Tampa Bay win games in the potential absence of Mayfield, then he will be well worth the price tag that Licht and the Bucs brass pays for him.
