By Pat Yasinskas and Scott Costello
If ever a National Football League team had a crazy offseason, it was this year’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
They had future Hall of Fame quarterback saying he was retiring. They had coach Bruce Arians insisting he was not retiring.
Forty days later, that all changed. Tom Brady announced he was unretiring and Arians quickly followed by announcing he was stepping aside from coaching and into what he and the team said was a front office position that has never truly been defined.
Todd Bowles is the new coach and Brady is the veteran quarterback. Rob Gronkowski is retired….for now. And former nemesis Julio Jones is signed.
Wow!
Let’s take a look at some of the questions facing the Bucs as they begin training camp:
Did Brady really force Arians out?
Late last season, there were reports of friction between Brady and Arians.
They both denied there was a problem, which is exactly what you would expect. Just connect the dots. Brady and the Glazer brothers, who own the team, just happened to show up at the same soccer game in England. The next thing you know, Brady is back and Arians is out. Coincidence or not, TB12 is back for another season in the pewter and red.
How will Bowles and Brady get along?
That shouldn’t be an issue. Brady probably could have stopped Bowles from being the coach if he objected. The reports about the friction between Brady and Arians cited disagreements over offensive gameplans. They also said Brady and offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich would work on a gameplan, only to have Arians rip it up at the last moment.
That will no longer happen because Brady and Leftwich will be the only ones drawing up the offense. They have developed a strong relationship over the last two years and there is no reason to think that’s going to change.
Bowles is a defensive coach who trusts his offensive coordinator and the G.O.A.T. quarterback. Look for a less predicatable offense which could mean additional firepower.
How will the team respond to Bowles?
Probably pretty well. Bowles has been the defensive coordinator the last two years, which means he’ll have some degree of familiarity with the players.
It’s often said that when you get rid of a coach, you should replace him with someone who has the exact opposite style. Arians was an offensive guy and Bowles is a defensive guy. Arians was brash and outspoken. Bowles is much quieter but still commands respect, much like former Bucs coach Tony Dungy, according to those that know him well.
Sometimes change is good and it’s entirely possible that Brady wasn’t the only player that stopped buying into Arians.
Bowles first run as a head coach with the New York Jets was not a great success. Why should this time be any different?
Actually, it is totally different because Bowles’ first stint came with ,,,well, the Jets, a franchise where coaching careers go to disappear.
Bowles’ three immediate predecessors were Herm Edwards, Eric Mangini and Al Groh, who all apparently have more or less stepped into the Witness Protection Program. Besides, Bowles went 10-6 in his first season before struggling in his second and third seasons.
The Jets are a bad organization. The Bucs have become a great one. Bowles is inheriting Brady and a good defense already is in place. Lots of coaches have been successful after failing in their first try. Bowles was destined to become a head coach again in the league and Bucs had the foresight to keep him in Tampa. This bodes well for him.
Or does it?
Bowles’ honeymoon period will last all of about three seconds. Ownership and fans are expecting another Super Bowl championship. The expectations and the constant media coverage that the Bucs now get on a national basis will be very weighty. But the New York media is unrelenting, which should have been good training for Bowles.
What’s the latest on Chris Godwin’s injury?
Chris Godwin suffered a torn ACL and MCL in his knee last December. There was speculation that he was going to need to be placed on the PUP (Physically unable to perform) list to start the season. Of course, as training camp started last Wednesday, we received word that Godwin has been cleared to begin camp.
Hold on a minute. We’re talking about a very serious injury to a guy that makes his living running fast. Bringing him back too soon and re-injuring the knee could be catastrophic.
Lots of guys have taken a lot longer to come back than what some currently are saying about Godwin’s timetable. Lots of guys with the same injury have never been the player they were before.
It would be nice to have Godwin healthy at the start of the season. But doesn’t it make a lot more sense to take every precaution to make sure he’s healthy at the end of the season? With the announced signing of Julio Jones (more below), look for the Bucs to take it slow.
Is there any chance Rob Gronkowski unretires?
The 33-year-old tight end has said that he is firmly retired. But we’ve seen this act before. He walked away from football in 2018 and said his body was shot.
But Brady talked Gronkowski into joining the Bucs for the 2020 season. Gronkowski dealt with injury issues last year and he probably is more beat up than ever. Gronkowski sounds serious about retirement this time. Maybe Brady can work his magic and coax Gronkowski out of retirement. That’s a long shot.
But don’t rule out Brady’s power. Almost from the time he came into the NFL, Brady has gotten just about everything he has wanted – on and off the field – and his power has been only amplified since he came to Tampa Bay.
How will Leonard Fournette fare after getting a big contract in the offseason?
Fournette signed a three-year deal worth $21 million after playing on year contracts the previous two years. Fournette rushed for 812 yards and eight touchdowns last season.
General manager Jason Licht has been right on in just about every move the past few years. But there’s room to question this one. You have to wonder if the Bucs are paying Fournette more for past performance than for future performance.
Fournette is 27. That may seem young, but it often is around the time when running backs get old. Remember Doug Martin?
Then, there is this troubling sigh: Rick Stroud of The Tampa Bay Times reported that Fournette showed up for the June minicamp about 30 pounds overweight. Did Fournette get fat and happy after he got paid? He showed up to camp last week at 245 pounds, which is pretty close to his playing weight last year. With a defensive minded head coach, a strong running game will be important. Keep an eye on rookie Rachaad White, who expects to compete for significant time.
Will the Bucs be better or worse without edge rusher Jason Pierre-Paul?
There’s no question Pierre-Paul had a nice career. But the Bucs used a first-round pick on Joe Tyron-Shoyinka in 2021. NFL logic says that if a first-round pick isn’t starting by his second year, something is very wrong. Tyron-Shoyinka will get every chance to show he’s ready to contribute on the edge.
Who will be Tom Brady’s backup?
Speaking of guys that were drafted last year, does University of Florida product Kyle Trask have any chance to be Brady’s backup?
Absolutely. The Bucs can sing the praises of 12-year veteran Blaine Gabbert all they want, but the Bucs did not use a 2021 2nd round draft pick on a 3rd stringer. Look for Trask to earn the backup job and show whether he is capable of eventually being a starter in the league.
The Bucs used a second-round pick on Trask because they believe he can be Brady’s backup this year and will look to see if he can eventually move into the starting job.
What’s the outlook for rookie Logan Hall?
The defensive tackle was drafted with the 33rd overall pick after the Bucs traded out of the first round. Logan Hall will be put into a position to succeed.
Hall likely will begin the season splitting time with Akiem Hicks. But Hall will be lining up next to Vita Vea, who makes those around him better, and that means the rookie could have an immediate impact.
Which rookie has the best chance to be a starter on opening day?
That’s Luke Goedeke, the second of the team’s two second-round picks. While Hall is expected to share time with Hicks, Goedeke probably will be thrown into the fire right away at left guard.
There is a big vacancy there after longtime starter Ali Marpet retired. Goedeke played tackle in college, but he projects as a guard in the NFL. Chances are he’ll be one of two new starting guards for the Bucs.
Right guard Alex Cappa signed with the Bengals as soon as free agency started. But the Bucs may have upgraded by swinging a trade with New England for Shaq Mason, who is an automatic starter at right guard.
In addition to Marpet, Cappa and Gronkowski, the Bucs also will be without defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh and cornerback Richard Sherman. Marpet, Suh and Sherman were broken down physically.
The Bucs made a huge deal last year about how they were returning all 22 starters from their Super Bowl season. A lot of people bought into that hype. But NFL teams shouldn’t be trying to stand still. They should always be looking to upgrade. The Bucs still have one of the best offensive lines in football. Of course, this is heavily dependent on Ryan Jensen, who was carted off the field last week with a knee injury.
Maybe they’ve become a better team than they were last year. The severity of Jensen’s injury will help determine the answer to this question.
How will Tampa Bay spread the ball?
With Mike Evans and Chris Godwin returning and adding Russell Gage, Julio Jones and Kyle Rudolph in the offseason, there are a lot of guys used to being the guy.
It will be very difficult for teams to double down on any receiver, especially if Fournette is running well. The good news is that the receivers are saying the right things. Newly signed Julio Jones, a future Hall of Famer shared at his press conference that he is here to win. Whether he is the featured receiver or he is blocking all game and Evans makes all the catches, he is here to help the young guys and win. The depth is now enviable and could be one of the best receiving corps in the game.
