2020 continues to be weird and in many ways not very fun. However, the NFL free agency period gave all of us a much-needed distraction from the real world, with the biggest domino falling last night. Yes, Tom Brady is actually on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. That continues to sound very weird, but we're going to have to get used to it. As is, the team has plenty of weapons on offense and a defense that had some nice moments last season. The WR duo of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin might be the best pair of receivers that Tom Brady has ever played with.
Things are going to be fun in Tampa, but there's always room for improvement, and with Brady in the fold, they should be going all in to win now. To be honest, they really don't have a choice. Brady is going to be 43-years-old when next season starts. You have to go for it. Luckily for them, they can restructure some money on their books and create some cap space to chase some guys via free agency or trade that could surely help the roster. With that in mind, here are five players that the Bucs should target the rest of this offseason to bolster their roster and become a true contender.
Todd Gurley
It's not really a surprise that the Rams are shopping Todd Gurley when you look at their cap situation. Yes, he's coming off of a down year, but when healthy, he's one of the most dynamic rushers in the NFL. While the Bucs could be really dangerous through the air, their ground game needs some work and Gurley could be a perfect fit within the offense. And if you follow Gurley on social media, you'll find that some of his activity shows he probably wouldn't be opposed to this move.
Antonio Brown
This shouldn't be a surprise to anyone. Antonio Brown told us during his Load Management interview that he wanted to play with Brady next season. Brady has reportedly said the same and apparently even told teams interested in him that he wanted to play with Brown again. AB is from Florida and while he has to clear up a number of issues with the league, this would make a lot of sense and give the Bucs the best WR group in the NFL.
While Brady might want to play with Brown, NFL Network did report recently that AB is not in the Bucs plans moving forward.
Trent Williams
This isn't the sexiest addition the Bucs could make, but it would probably be the most important. You have to protect the QB and though Trent Williams hasn't played in two season, he's still one of the best LTs in the NFL. This would give Tom Brady some peace of mind knowing that his blindside is taken care of. Obviously, to get Williams, you need to work out a trade with the Redskins, who to this point have been asking for a sizable return to trade Williams.
Brandin Cooks
Much like Todd Gurley, it appears that the Rams are trying to trade Brandin Cooks. And if the Antonio Brown thing falls through, which is very possible, this would be a nice backup plan for the Bucs. Cooks is a speedy WR who has played with Brady before and can add a solid deep threat to the offense.
Melvin Gordon
Melvin Gordon is a free agent and looking for a solid payday this offseason. He's one of the best RBs in the NFL and could certainly help the Bucs ground game to compliment Brady and co. There hasn't been much movement on Gordon's next team as of yet, but you'd figure Tampa Bay should be interested with Brady in the fold. As Gordon told us back in January, he's not looking for top money, but rather a place he can win. Well, there's about to be a lot of winning going on in Tampa.
