Tampa Bay Buccaneers Betting Favorite to Sign Tom Brady

Tom Brady will end his career playing for … the Tampa Bay Buccaneers?

It’s hard to fathom the six-time Super Bowl winner calling western Florida home, but the Bucs are now the odds-on favorites to sign the 42-year-old quarterback once free agency begins on Wednesday, according to Odds Shark.

As of Tuesday morning, we also now know Brady won’t be back in New England.

The gambling odds website has Tampa listed with -150 odds to sign Brady in free agency and New England with +110 odds. The Chargers are the only other team that’s relatively close at +600.

BREAKING

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are now the betting favorite to sign Tom Brady.

Odds (via BetOnline):

Buccaneers -150
Patriots +110
Chargers +600
49ers +1000
Raiders +1200
Colts +1800
Bears +5000
Cowboys +5000
Dolphins +5000

— Odds Shark (@OddsShark) March 16, 2020

Though rumors about Brady leaving the Patriots have been flying fast and furious during the offseason, the Patriots have always been the betting favorite to re-sign their longtime quarterback.

But, it seems like Odds Shark may be onto something …

The tampering window has opened and #Patriots QB Tom Brady’s agent can hear from teams. My understanding: The #Chargers and #Bucs will inquire, and of course New England wants him back. That is Brady’s market as of right now.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 16, 2020

I am told the Tampa Bay Bucs have made the intentions to Tom Brady loud and clear.

— Michael Giardi (@MikeGiardi) March 16, 2020

Bruce Arians still making his pitch to Tom Brady? Raiders aren't totally out of it, but it's my understanding that the Bucs are ahead in line.

— Vic Tafur (@VicTafur) March 16, 2020

Brady going to the Bucs seems crazy, but there’s actually plenty of evidence to support that it could happen.

First of all, Tampa Bay franchise-tagged linebacker Shaq Barrett, a move that locks him in for a year but also prevents the team from using the tag on last year’s quarterback Jameis Winston.

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While the team could still work out a deal with Winston, it’s also possible they’ll let him walk as a free agent.

From @NFLNetwork: The #Bucs franchise tagged LB Shaq Barrett, locking him in for a year but also freeing QB Jameis Winston up to be a free agent. pic.twitter.com/lNcquEH4Ix

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 16, 2020

Should that happen, the team will need a solid QB to throw passes to a talented receiving corps that includes Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Breshad Perriman.

Brady, of course, would fit that bill and would instantly make the Bucs a contender in a division that includes the high-flying Saints but also has the rebuilding Panthers and mediocre-at-best Falcons.

As the Boston Herald points out, Brady would have some non-football-related reasons to sign with Tampa.

“Brothers Bryan, Edward and Joel Glazer also happen to own Manchester United, one of the richest and widely recognized soccer teams in the world,” according to the Herald. “If Brady has global aspirations for TB12, the Glazers can help him to make that happen. A link to Manchester United can only help all of Brady’s off-field earning potential and global star status, if those factors are important to him.”

Should the team make Brady an offer, they’ll have plenty of cash to do it as the Bucs rank fourth in the NFL with $74.4 million in salary-cap space, according to overthecap.com.

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