Tampa Bay Buccaneers News

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady announced his retirement from the NFL on Wednesday morning. Brady said he is retiring "for good" in a video posted on his personal social media account. The 45-year-old, seven-time Super Bowl winner leaves as the league's all-time leader in passing yards (89,214) and touchdown passes (649). As for the Buccaneers, they are expected to go into rebuild mode with 2021 second-round pick Kyle Trask at quarterback. Brady averaged 16.9 FanDuel points per game last season, and among the 47 quarterbacks with at least 100 drop backs, he ranked 13th in Passing Net Expected Points per attempt.

The 45-year-old signal-caller thus ends his stellar 23-year pro career as the league's all-time leader in passing yards (89,214) as well as touchdown passes (649). This past season, Brady, a seven-time Super Bowl winner (six with New England and one with Tampa Bay) and three-time NFL MVP, threw for 4,694 yards and 25 TDs in his third and final campaign with the Buccaneers.

The veteran also totaled three solo stops and a pass breakup during the wild-card loss to the Cowboys. Hicks was signed on a one-year deal to serve as a veteran stopgap that could help along the front line of the Buccaneers' 3-4 defense, but a foot injury cost him six games of action between Weeks 3 and 8. Slated to be a free agent at the start of the new league year and with his best days behind him at age 33, it's likely Tampa Bay turns to younger alternatives for the 2023 campaign.

The fourth-year defensive back added six tackles (four solo) during the wild-card loss to the Cowboys. Murphy-Bunting missed five games overall due to quadriceps issues, but by the numbers, he turned in his most effective season in coverage yet. Murphy-Bunting surrendered a paltry 37.5 percent completion rate and 3.9 yards per attempt as a primary defender across 411 defensive snaps, and both his interception and total pass-breakups tally ranked as the second highest of his career. An unrestricted free agent at the start of the new league year, Murphy-Bunting could potentially garner an attractive deal on the open market as an up-and-coming cornerback.

The 2021 first-round pick also tallied two tackles (one solo) in 41 snaps during the wild-card loss to the Cowboys. Tryon-Shoyinka played a career-high 806 snaps on defense during the regular season, which led to Tryon-Shoyinka boosting his rookie-season tackle total by 11 stops and matching his 2021 sack tally as well. Tryon-Shoyinka could be in line for even more opportunity next season if position mate Lavonte David departs via free agency.

Nelson added three solo stops across 60 snaps in the wild-card loss to the Cowboys. The fourth-year linebacker turned in career-best tackle, sack and forced fumble totals while playing a career-high 604 snaps on defense. While Nelson is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent at the start of the new league year in mid-March, the 2019 fourth-round pick could certainly prove to be a more cost-effective alternative for the Buccaneers than fellow free-agent-to-be and position mate Lavonte David.