NFL Rumors: Latest on Tom Brady, Teddy Bridgewater, Bucs, Possible XFL Signings

One of the rare NFL positions to actually make NBA money, quarterbacks are precious commodities. And this offseason is a veritable gold rush. 

From Tom Brady to an array of XFL standouts, there is a wealth of signal-calling options for teams either looking to shift their organization into a new direction or simply bolster their depth. 

Of those organizations intrigued by a seismic pivot, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been the most recently thrust into the rumor mill, and understandably so.

As the franchise transitioned into what was expected to be a new era under the guidance of Bruce Arians and his hand-picked gurus, Byron Leftwich and Todd Bowles, the team seemed unmoved and meandered its way to a 7-9 record.

Despite a highly esteemed coaching staff and a plethora of offensive weapons like Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and O.J. Howard, Jameis Winston was in the bottom five for completion percentage (60.7), and quarterback rating (84.3). Moreover, in what should be a hard record to beat, he had the most interceptions in a season with 30 (nine more than the second-worst).

Arians has coached Andrew Luck and Carson Palmer. He is no stranger to gunslingers, and his affinity for explosive, downfield play-calling is as renowned as his proclivity for Kangol caps and swear words. But this offseason, the greatest quarterback of all time is available for wooing.  

As the Tampa Bay Times' Rick Stroud reported, Brady is the top option for a Buccaneers team that has a chunky $80 million in cap space. Then comes Teddy Bridgewater, Philip Rivers and, probably by a decent margin, Winston. 

If Brady was to leave New England, Tampa Bay is a surprisingly intriguing destination. TB12 is best with control of a versatile offense that boasts playmakers at tight end and receiver. But it is a chance since Brady's been paired with defensive might for much of his career, while Arians is principally known for his offensive dynamism. 

If the Bucs do stand pat with Winston, they should be able to back him up with some unpredictable prospects from the XFL. Although, there'll likely be some competition for those quarterbacks, too.

The NFL Network's Tom Pelissero indicated that the XFL is allowing players to "sign immediately with teams in the NFL or any other league once their exit physicals are complete." With the league suspending its 2020 season following the spread of COVID-19, this allows some early standouts to get a jump on their careers.

Three such standouts are P.J. Walker, Josh Johnson and Jordan Ta'amu—owners of the three highest quarterback ratings through the league's fifth (and final) week. Walker is likely to be the most coveted, as the former Indianapolis Colts practice-squad QB put up the league-highs in yards (1,338) and touchdowns (15) while just four interceptions and a strong 65 percent completion rate helped give him the second-highest quarterback rating (104.4).

Johnson and Ta'amu were no slouches either, though. Neither had more than two interceptions, and both converted for more than 1,000 yards and had a 100-plus quarterback rating. 

While none of these three are anywhere near the franchise-altering Brady discussion, they're obviously a tier above the other XFL signal-callers and deserve a chance at the big league. The New York Giants have a vacancy behind Daniel Jones, while teams like the Buccaneers and Chicago Bears should be willing to experiment with their murky quarterback rooms.