Although it has been more than two months since Tom Brady's unretirement, the Buccaneers were connected to other quarterback options for a fairly lengthy stretch this winter. Brady retired on Feb. 1 and decided to come back March 13, the Sunday ahead of the 2022 league year’s outset. Shortly after Brady recommitted, the Bucs re-signed Ryan Jensen and Carlton Davis. Chris Godwin agreed to an extension, and Leonard Fournette returned to the fold. Outside additions like Russell Gage, Logan Ryan and Akiem Hicks have joined up as well, separating this offseason from 2021’s historic talent-retention effort. It is safe to say Tampa Bay’s free agency plan would have been different without Brady, who announced a return on that date despite being on the fence about playing again.
“You know at this stage, it’s like 55% yes and 45% no,” Brady said during an interview with TNT’s Ernie Johnson (via the Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud) of his mid-March stance on playing a 23rd season. “That’s just the reality. It’s not that I’m not 100% committed; it’s just as soon as I make the commitment to do it, it’s like ‘Ugh. All right, here we go.’ It’s like running a marathon. You can’t decide two weeks before the marathon, ‘Hey, I’m going to start running.’
“We got right to free agency and I felt some pressure to do it and talked to the team and organization, and it all worked out.”
Brady’s decision almost certainly had an impact on the Bucs’ ensuing coaching change, and the 44-year-old passer has since signed a restructure agreement to help the Bucs add more talent this offseason. Here is the latest from the quarterback scene:
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