Bucs general manager Jason Licht took a brief break from his team’s prosperous free-agency phase Wednesday to confirm he’d like to have a veteran in place to back up quarterback Tom Brady.
It just might not be the veteran who has held the job the past two seasons.
Speaking to host Adam Schein on Mad Dog Sports Radio, Licht said the team is exploring all of its possibilities for the No. 2 job, which has belonged to Blaine Gabbert since 2020. Licht also reiterated the organization remains “very excited” about the progress of second-year guy Kyle Trask.
“We had Blaine last year on our roster, and that can be a possibility still,” Licht said. “But we’re still kind of checking out the entire market here, and we’ll see what happens here.”
Schein asked Licht about the internet rumblings of Tampa Bay making a run at former Browns starter Baker Mayfield, who publicly has sought a trade now that the team has signed Deshaun Watson to a record contract. While such a move would seem cost-prohibitive on its surface. Licht wouldn’t flatly deny the speculation.
“I don’t want to talk about a player that’s on another team’s roster right now,” he said. “We still may add a veteran quarterback, but we’re just going to have to kind of see how it goes here.”
Mayfield is set to make $18.85 million this season, meaning the Bucs almost certainly would have to spend outside their salary-cap means — while giving up substantial players or draft capital — to acquire him. That’s highly unlikely for a player who would serve only as a backup for 2022.
If not longer. Speaking of Brady’s unretirement, Licht hinted that the GOAT could stick around past 2022, when his current deal expires.
“It’s been an awesome two years,” he said, “and now hopefully three-plus years — if not more than three — with him.”
