Why Colin Kaepernick Could Make Sense for the Bucs

If he makes a return to the NFL, Kaepernick could give the Bucs' offense a wrinkle they don't have.

Not long after the NFL put out a video with commissioner Roger Goodell admitting the league mishandled their response to Colin Kaepernick's protests against police brutality and racism, the entire professional football world wondered if Kaepernick might finally make a return to the game's highest level.

There have been rumblings that teams have been interested in pursuing Kaepernick, but few details have emerged, and it's still unclear just how serious any of those teams are about signing him (via NFL Network):

From @NFLTotalAccess: As @MikeSilver noted, there is interest from NFL teams in Colin Kaepernick. They seem to be doing more homework on him than in recent years, though they haven't yet engaged in direct negotiations with Kaepernick's camp. pic.twitter.com/1luDy1wC6H

— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) June 26, 2020

There are certainly plenty of teams who could use an upgrade at the game's most important position, and even though Kaepernick has been out of the league for three years, it's not hard to imagine that he'd immediately give at least a few teams a better chance to win than what they currently have in the cupboard.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers aren't one of those teams, especially after signing Tom Brady to a two-year deal this offseason. But if Kaepernick would be willing to entertain the idea of being a versatile weapon for an already loaded offense instead of a full-time starting quarterback, especially with a chance to win a Super Bowl ring, the Bucs could be a sensible landing spot for him.

You don't even have to look outside the Bucs' own division to see what a dynamic, versatile playmaker can do from the quarterback position in certain situations. The New Orleans Saints have done fantastic things with Taysom Hill's unique skill set, and with a creative, experienced offensive head coach in Bruce Arians, the Bucs could easily find similar ways to deploy Kaepernick. 

Tampa Bay's offense is loaded with some of the NFL's best pass-catchers, from a pair of Pro Bowl wide receivers in Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, to a three-headed monster at tight end that includes Cameron Brate, O.J. Howard and now, Rob Gronkowski. Opposing defenses will have plenty of weapons to split their collective attentions in many different directions, leaving even more room for a player like Kaepernick to make some big plays.

Throw in the fact that Brady will be 43 years old this year, and having a backup quarterback who can take a few snaps per game off his plate could help keep the 20-year veteran as fresh as possible over a 16-game (or more) season.

Yes, the Bucs already have a veteran backup with experience in Arians' offense, but Blaine Gabbert missed the entire 2019 season due to injury. While he might be a better fit for replacing the style of quarterback the Bucs already have in their starter, he doesn't bring anywhere near the kind of playmaking ability that Kaepernick possesses. It might make more sense on the surface to have someone like Gabbert there to replace Brady, but Kaepernick's presence would make life more difficult on opposing defenses. Even if healthy, Gabbert's presence doesn't do that.

The Bucs have Super Bowl hopes for many reasons, and while Brady is one of them, it has plenty to do with the fact that this roster is well-built on both sides of the ball to make a legit run at the Lombardi Trophy. If the Bucs truly want to make the most of this window they've created with themselves, it could make sense for them to take another big swing on Kaepernick, making one of the league's most explosive offenses even more versatile and dangerous.