Buccaneers Future Intact if Tom Brady Leaves in 2023

According to an ESPN formula, Tampa Bay will enjoy winning football, even if the legend departs.

For 40 days the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had entered into a space they didn't necessarily expect to be in when the season came to a close after the Divisional Round of the 2021-22 NFL Playoffs. 

Tom Brady was retired. 

The future was, well, murky. 

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Because not only was Brady gone, but it was highly likely a large number of unrestricted free agents would depart for big paychecks and new uniforms. 

Then. Brady came back. And the storm clouds receded...for now. 

Eventually, the greatest quarterback to ever wear the NFL shield will leave the Bucs and the game. 

And if that happens next season, Tampa Bay will still have a strong squad to field, thanks in large part to the new contracts put in place upon his return this offseason. 

"There is a balancing act in sizing up a team like Tampa Bay, as we all know that quarterback Tom Brady's future is extremely year to year right now and that he is not under contract for 2023," says Field Yates of ESPN in the sites three-year outlook rankings of all NFL teams. "But Tampa's short-term outlook is to be right in the mix to contend for another Super Bowl, and that carries massive weight in this calculation, on top of the fact that the roster organized by GM Jason Licht is darn good as well."

In ESPN's ranking of NFL teams by their three-year projections, the Buccaneers ranked eighth overall. 

Coming in behind the Buffalo Bills, Kansas City Chiefs, Green Bay Packers, Los Angeles Rams, Los Angeles Chargers, Cincinnati Bengals, and Baltimore Ravens, the difference between almost all these teams and the Bucs is the existence of a quarterback in place who will be there for the next three years. 

The only exception to that rule are the Green Bay Packers, who ESPN clearly holds stock in, and the Baltimore Ravens who feel primed and ready to mess up a really good thing when they don't pay Lamar Jackson and he inexplicably becomes a free agent or trade bait under a franchise tag he won't play under in 2023.

Assuming Baltimore doesn't reach back to their Cleveland Browns roots and 'Browns this thing up', Jackson will stay and they'll rejoin this group legitimately. 

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In fact, ESPN ranks Tampa Bay's roster as third best in the league behind the Bills and Chargers. 

Of course, this means finding the right quarterback doesn't necessarily mean finding another legend, but someone capable of steering a vessel ready to maintain high levels of performance.

Meanwhile, the Packers will continue their streak of 30+ years with Hall of Fame caliber quarterback play, and two Super Bowls to show for it. 

For more on this and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers check out James Yarcho and David Harrison on the Locked On Bucs Podcast!