The post–Tom Brady era is underway in Tampa, and the Buccaneers may look to an unlikely quarterback to replace the seven-time Super Bowl champion. Bruce Arians said Blaine Gabbert, Brady's backup for two years, could very well be the new starting signal-caller in 2022.
“People may not like the overall record, but Blaine had eight head coaches and eight coordinators his first eight years,” Arians said, per the Tampa Bay Times. “He beat Jacksonville their best year and beat Tennessee their big year for us in Arizona. And he’s been in the system now. I don’t have a problem there and let Kyle [Trask] continue to grow. Either one. [Gabbert] has never played with a team this good. He’s got all the respect in the locker room that he can have.”
Arians is referring to Gabbert's string of starting games with the Cardinals back in 2017 when he was coaching the team. Gabbert was able to come away with a win over a Jaguars team that finished 10–6 that year and a Titans team that finished 9–7. Trask, the team's second-round pick in ’21, still has some ways to go in terms of development. But Arians sounds like he hasn’t dismissed the former Gator, either.
Gabbert, who will be a free agent, reunited with Arians in 2019 when he signed with Tampa Bay and served as backup to Jameis Winston and then Tom Brady. But now he very well may be the heir to an offense that features several stars. He has a 13–35 record as a starter over his career.
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