Buccaneers Rumors: TB 'Relying Heavily' on Draft to Add Pieces Around Tom Brady

While the Tampa Bay Buccaneers made a win-now move signing Tom Brady, that doesn't mean they're going all-in on adding veteran pieces around him.

Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported the Bucs are expected to rely "heavily" on the draft to build around the 43-year-old. Fowler noted the team spoke with wide receiver Breshad Perriman and running back Melvin Gordon but both wound up out of their price range.

Brady signed a two-year contract with $50 million fully guaranteed to write the last chapter of his career in Tampa. The Bucs have perhaps the best one-two punch at receiver in football with Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, along with solid tight ends in Cameron Brate and OJ Howard.

However, the Bucs have a hole at their third wideout spot and haven't been able to rely on Ronald Jones for consistent production in his first two NFL seasons. Running back will likely be an early-round focus, given the position regularly churns out its most effective players early in their career.

Building through the draft is a riskier strategy than in previous years, due in part to the uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus pandemic. It's unclear when players will be allowed to report to their respective teams. Rookie minicamps and OTAs have to be considered in jeopardy at this point, if not unlikely to take place at all.

Brady will be restricted from team facilities as long as activities are shut down, limiting the amount of time he'll have to build familiarity with receivers. That will already put him at a disadvantage—especially after two decades of comfort in New England—and adding first-year NFL players to the mix could make things even more volatile.

Brady and 2019 first-round pick N'Keal Harry never meshed last season.

The roster dynamics will certainly be something to watch as Brady enters new surroundings for the first time at age 43.