NFL Rumors: Bucs Eye Jacoby Brissett amid Baker Mayfield Buzz After Tom Brady Retired

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are exploring multiple options at quarterback following Tom Brady's retirement.

Per ESPN's Dianna Russini, Jacoby Brissett is on Tampa's radar in free agency.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo reported Monday that the Bucs are expected to target Baker Mayfield as a potential option to compete with Kyle Trask for the starting job next season.

The Buccaneers might need to find a bridge quarterback for 2023. Their first pick in this year's draft is at No. 19 overall, which will likely take them out of play for one of the top signal-callers.

Trask was a second-round draft pick in 2021, but he hasn't had an opportunity to show anything in the NFL thus far. The 25-year-old has attempted only nine passes in the past two seasons combined.

There was some thought that the Bucs might go into rebuilding mode when Brady announced his retirement. They have a number of veteran players signed to expensive contracts and entered the offseason $57 million over the cap.

A series of contract restructures not only got the Bucs to be cap compliant, but it gave them some room to make additions in free agency.

Those contract restructures also suggest the Buccaneers aren't going into a full-scale rebuild just yet.

Star wide receiver Mike Evans, who has been cited as a potential trade candidate, didn't have his contract touched. He's scheduled to become a free agent after next season, though trading him before June 1 would only save the Bucs about $2 million against the 2023 cap.

There's an argument that Brissett is the best free-agent quarterback available this offseason. The 30-year-old doesn't have the same stats as someone like Jimmy Garoppolo, but he also has never played for a team as talented as some of those San Francisco 49ers squads in recent years.

Brissett had his best season in 2022 when he started 11 games for the Cleveland Browns while Deshaun Watson was serving a suspension. He completed 64.0 percent of his attempts for 2,608 yards with 12 touchdowns and six interceptions.

Per ESPN's QBR metric, Brissett's 60.0 mark last season was better than Joe Burrow (58.7), Justin Herbert (58.2) and Dak Prescott (57.9).

The Bucs still have a lot of talent on offense with Evans, Chris Godwin, Russell Gage and Rachaad White. They have arguably the best roster in the NFC South going into 2023 if they can find a steady hand at quarterback.