Saints' Cam Jordan: Steep decline coming for Bucs sans Brady

New Orleans Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

Saints' Cam Jordan sees steep decline coming for Buccaneers without Tom Brady

By Mike Santa Barbara | Last updated 2/4/23

After years of torment, plenty of defensive players throughout the NFL are thrilled to see Tom Brady ride off into the sunset, and you can count New Orleans Saints' Cam Jordan among them.

Unsurprisingly, the Saints' eight-time Pro Bowler is relieved that he and the Saints won't have to match up against Brady twice a season anymore in the NFC South. However, Jordan told NFL Network's Cameron Wolfe on Saturday that Brady's retirement, while benefiting the Saints, could signal a flashback to reality for the Tampa Buccaneers franchise.

"We're glad that he's out of the division," Jordan said. "Tampa Bay will probably go back to where Tampa Bay's been."

"We're glad he's out of the division. Tampa Bay will probably go back to… where Tampa Bay has been."

8-time Pro Bowler #Saints Cam Jordan (@camjordan94) on Tom Brady retirement + hope he doesn’t see me at Pro Bowl for 3rd straight year b/c he’s at bigger Bowl. For @nflnetwork: pic.twitter.com/57TJmykNhC
— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) February 4, 2023

Jordan is undoubtedly referencing the years before Brady when the Buccaneers were seemingly rudderless for over a decade after the departure of head coach Jon Gruden in 2009. Over the next 10 seasons, the Bucs had more head coaches (4) than winning seasons (2), making the postseason a total of zero times. In 2019, after marginal improvements in Bruce Arians' first season as head coach, Brady arrived a year later and immediately won the franchise a Super Bowl.

Time will tell, but right now, Jordan has a legitimate point. Tampa Bay wasn't lighting it up in 2022 with Brady, despite making the playoffs. Barring substantial improvements to the roster, going on without Brady seems like a recipe for a steep decline.

Jordan likely won't have to worry about another Brady fake-out, as No. 12's retirement seems real this time.

Brady reportedly signed a 10-year, $375 million deal with FOX last March and seems ready to begin his broadcasting career. According to The Athletic's Richard Deitsch, Brady might have a "small role" on FOX's Super Bowl pregame coverage next Sunday. Per Deitsch, people who participated in production meetings with Brady were impressed by his "ability to communicate football concepts in a clear way."

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