TAMPA, Fla — Rumors and headlines ran rampant on Thursday regarding the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and quarterbacks.
There was talk of drafting one at 32, thanks to Good Morning Football and NFL Network’s Peter Schrager, but the more interesting rumor came courtesy of CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora.
Obviously, speculation is at a peak following the Panthers’ trade for former New York Jets quarterback Sam Darnold, who is expected to be their starter in 2021. La Canfora said in his “Insider Notes” column that the Carolina Panthers should not balk at a trade offer for Teddy Bridgewater should it come from a NFC South rival.
“If the best trade offer for quarterback Teddy Bridgewater comes from New Orleans or Atlanta or Tampa, make the trade,” states La Canfora. “Fear of trading within the NFC South shouldn't be a factor in this pending transaction. There should be conviction in the decision to move on from Bridgewater after just one year, and if the Panthers believe Sam Darnold is an upgrade for the present and the future, and will live up to his initial draft billing, then it really shouldn't matter where Bridgewater ends up.”
La Canfora doubled down, pointing the finger directly at the Buccaneers and their perceived interest in the quarterback:
“I know Tampa just won a Super Bowl, and somehow managed to keep the band together, but if Bridgewater is willing to move some things around to help from a cap standpoint, then why not let him go there as Tom Brady insurance? Because it is definitely something being discussed internally in Tampa, I can assure you of that.”
Here’s the thing, I’m not buying what La Canfora is selling.
We know that the Buccaneers had interest in Teddy Bridgewater last offseason had they not been able to land Tom Brady. Now, Bridgewater carries a $22.95M dollar cap hit for 2021 and a $26M dollar cap hit for 2022. This is not a contract the Buccaneers could trade for right now even if they wanted to.
Next, you have to take a look at Bridgewater’s situation. He spent two seasons in New Orleans backing up Drew Brees, looking to earn a future starting role. When Brees returned for the 2020 season, Bridgewater parlayed an impressive five-game stretch from 2019 into what he thought was a long-term starting job with Carolina. Is he really looking to get back into a reserve role? There are plenty of other teams out there that could use an upgrade at the quarterback position and those teams may not find their answer on draft night.
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It makes sense from the standpoint of Bridgewater being released and signing with Tampa for a minimal deal should he choose to relegate himself to a back-up role again, knowing that the Buccaneers give him a chance to win a Super Bowl. However, the Panthers releasing him seems just as unlikely as the Bucs trading for him given that cap hit. If the Panthers cut him, they take on $20M in dead cap for the upcoming season.
At the end of the day, it seems far more likely that there was an attempt to connect two dots that are now miles apart compared to thirteen months ago. If the Buccaneers are actually having conversations about Bridgewater, it’s because they have conversations about dozens of players over the course of the offseason, whether that’s planning for this year or a few years down the road. That certainly doesn’t mean that a move is imminent or that these “discussions” were anything more than something said in passing.
The Bucs currently don’t have a back-up quarterback and Bridgewater would instantly become the best one in the league; but it’s far more likely that Tampa Bay brings back Blaine Gabbert or uses one of their draft picks to bring in a young guy to develop behind Brady for the next few years, not trade for one that costs nearly as much as your starter.
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