It’s becoming harder and harder to envision Tom Brady returning to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2023, should he decide to return for his age-46 season.
The Buccaneer offense has been in shamble all season long. Brady isn’t getting much support from his offensive line which has been hit hard by injuries, namely to Pro Bowl center Ryan Jensen (expected to miss the entire year with a knee injury) and superstar offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs (out with an ankle injury).
Tampa Bay also has the league’s worst rushing offense (72.9 yards per game), and Brady hasn’t been on the same page with his receivers, especially superstar Mike Evans. Taking all of this into account, many are already wondering if he’s playing out his final games in Tampa.
According to Jason La Canfora of The Washington Post, the belief around the NFL is that Brady won’t return to Tampa next season. La Canfora also added that there’s tension between the 45-year-old and offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich:
“It’s widely assumed around the league that Brady’s days in Tampa Bay are dwindling…Things are not great between Brady and offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich, I’m told by people familiar with the dynamic, with philosophical differences dating back to last season.”
La Canfora spoke to executives and agents who outlined three potential fits for Brady in 2023: His childhood team in the San Francisco 49ers, the Miami Dolphins and the Las Vegas Raiders.
One GM told La Canfora that the 49ers are “the best fit for him.” Regarding Miami, an executive told La Canfora, “It’s a great roster for him, and he’d get two shots at Belichick.”
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The Raiders make sense for multiple reasons as well. Head coach Josh McDaniels served as Brady’s offensive coordinator in New England from 2006 to 2008 and from 2012 to 2019 before the latter’s departure.
San Francisco invested a lot to trade up so they could take Trey Lance third overall in 2021, and the Dolphins are enjoying a breakout year from third-year QB Tua Tagovailoa. So between these three clubs, the Raiders feel like the most likely landing spot. And that’s only if they actually decide to move on from Derek Carr.
We’ll just have to wait and see how the Brady sweepstakes 2.0 play out, if he decides to continue playing in 2023.
