We were able to catch up with staff writer Carmen Vitali from Buccaneers.com to get her insight on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers signing former Michigan and New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady in free agency. She discussed the excitement from the Bucs' fanbase and players, what kind of weapons Brady will have to work with, whether or not the team is now a Super Bowl contender and more.
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The Wolverine: We’ve already had Michigan fans on our site saying they’ll be rooting for the Bucs now. Just how excited are Bucs fans for the addition of Brady?
CV: Obviously, this is a very exciting time for the fan base and the organization. Not only will Tom immediately make us contenders on the field with the help of those he has around him, but I think people will get to see the great product we’ve always had off of it. We really do prioritize our fans and now there will just be more of them. I know some people resist the bandwagoners but I say bring them on. The more people we have behind us, the better. At the heart of it, Tampa really is a football town and I think you can see that just from the immediate reaction to this signing.
The Wolverine: What has the reaction been like from current Bucs players, and how could signing Brady help with attracting other free agents?
CV: I think all of our guys are excited to learn from someone who is so experienced and so dedicated to his craft. More than anything, Tom is one of those guys that stands out in everything he does. Everything from his preparation to his play is just different. Our guys have always been confident in their talent and ability but I think Tom’s leadership is really what’s getting these players amped up.
As far as other free agents coming, that remains to be seen. I know ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that there was a lot of interest from free agents in playing for the Bucs and that they were letting it be known. The so-called ‘LeBron effect.’ I’m sure the whole no state income tax thing helps, too. It’ll be interesting to see how the roster takes shape between now and the draft.
The Wolverine: The Bucs have a good amount of offensive weapons for Brady to work with in Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Cameron Brate, O.J. Howard, etc. Can you speak to just how much talent is there at WR and TE? And do you believe that talent is one of the main things that attracted him to Tampa?
CV: I have to think that was the case. No other roster could give him two 2019 Pro Bowl receivers to throw to, after all. I’ve always said Mike Evans is one of the best receivers in the game. He’s one of just two players to start their careers with six 1,000-yard seasons – the other being Randy Moss, who Tom is also familiar with. And Chris Godwin is just a work horse. He was on pace for almost 100 catches and eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark for the first time in his career (easily, too) last season. He also led the team in touchdowns with nine. I’m actually really excited to see him work with Tom because Chris is very much in the same vein of keeping to a strict diet and training schedule while working on his body to make sure it’s performing in the best possible way. Maybe he’ll end up on the TB12 method.
Having two tight ends like Cam Brate and O.J. Howard is going to be right up Tom’s alley, too. They both have tremendous talent and are very reliable red zone targets. I know neither of them had the year they wanted last year but I think that could change this coming season, and especially with Tom’s input. It’s pretty much just a question of how creative Tom and the offensive staff want to get with how they use all these weapons.
The Wolverine: How do you think Brady and head coach Bruce Arians will mesh together, and what will the offense look like?
CV: I know there are some people saying that Brady doesn’t fit with Bruce’s system but I think they are underestimating the amount BA collaborates with his players — quarterbacks, especially. His signal callers are very involved in the weekly game plan. I’ve heard Bruce say over and over that he allows his quarterbacks to put in their own plays because it increases the likelihood they want to run them. And that they’re good at them. Novel concept, right?
That being said, I don’t know that you’ll see as drastic of a change as people are predicting. Sure, Bruce loves the deep ball and throws in a good post or go route here and there – but there’s a touchdown and a check down built into nearly every play. Bruce’s offense already gives the quarterback options and based on what they’re seeing from the defense, they act accordingly. Tom is one of the best when it comes to reading defenses given his film study and experience in the league. So it’ll be Tom’s decisions within Bruce’s offense, which I think could work out quite nicely.
The Wolverine: Do you believe the Bucs are now immediately a Super Bowl contender coming out of the NFC? Is the offensive line and defense as a whole strong enough for that?
CV: I realize I’m probably a little biased when it comes to this, but yes. O-line help I think was coming either way and the team signed former Colt Joe Haeg on Friday as a start. The interior of the line is strong, too. I talked to center Ryan Jensen on Friday and he’s excited to get even more aggressive in their blocking given how quickly Brady gets rid of the ball. It takes a lot of pressure off the line as a unit in a lot of ways. The defense has really turned a corner. They finished the year as the number one rushing defense, a top five scoring defense, had the most passes defensed of any team in the league and were top 10 in most categories down the stretch. Both Shaq Barrett, who led the league in sacks last year, and Jason Pierre-Paul will be back for next season as the pass rushing bookends and the young secondary is only getting better. The pieces are there, and I think the second year in [defensive coordinator] Todd Bowles’ defensive system is going to pay dividends.
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