With Tom Brady reportedly joining the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, many wonder how the soon-to-be 43-year-old quarterback will fare in Bruce Arians’ stretch-the-field offense.
That, however, might not be the right question to ask.
“People are going, ‘How quickly can Tom Brady learn the Bruce Arians offense?’” Brian Billick said on Tiki & Tierney. “No, no, no, no. How quickly can Bruce Arians learn the Tom Brady offense? Because that’s exactly what they’re going to do. I imagine it will be somewhere in between the two in terms of things that Tom is comfortable with doing that they’ll adapt to in Tampa Bay. Bruce Arians is an excellent coach and he knows that you’ve got to do it the way your quarterback wants.”
Brady likes slot receivers, pass-catching running backs and, of course, tight ends. Still, Mike Evans and Chris Godwin will get plenty of targets, no doubt.
“Tom, to a degree, will obviously want to adapt to whatever it is that Bruce Arians wants to do,” Billick said. “But I’ve got a hard time imagining Bruce Arians isn’t going to spend a lot of time going, ‘What do you like?’ Just so Tom doesn’t have to go through too many gymnastics in learning this new offense.”
As for the AFC East, the Dolphins, Bills and Jets should have more hope with Brady bolting.
“[The Dolphins are] still a ways away,” Billick said. “What are they going to do at quarterback? Clearly it looks like they’re going to go by way of the draft, and they should. They’re starting from ground zero. They’ve got the cap room. They’ve added some people. But you’re starting with a young quarterback, so it’s kind of like [Brian] Flores’ first year. Can they challenge for the AFC East this year with a rookie quarterback? I don’t care what the situation is in New England. That might be a mouthful.”
The Bills, meanwhile, traded for wide receiver Stefon Diggs, and Sam Darnold will enter his third season with the Jets.
“Buffalo looks to be pretty good,” Billick said. “New York thinks they’re going to be, with Sam Darnold coming back and healthy, they think they’re going to be pretty good. Certainly they have a better chance now with Tom Brady out of the division.”