On Tuesday, the announcement finally came. Bucs quarterback Tom Brady is officially retiring – per his own social media accounts. There will be time to reflect on the immense impact Brady has had in just two years as a Buccaneer. What a player and what a leader. But the Bucs immediate future now hangs in the balance. Will this organization return to the cellar of the NFL? Or will the Bucs continue to build a contender following Brady’s retirement?

Make no mistake, the Bucs need another great quarterback to be a Super Bowl contender again. That’s not unique to Tampa Bay, as most teams need great quarterback play to contend for a world championship. But it’s especially true of Bruce Arians’ offensive system. The Bucs offense relies heavily on quarterbacks to be quick processors and make high degree-of-difficulty throws. Brady’s eliteness in both areas will be difficult to replicate this offseason.

Having said that, it’s crucial for people to know that the Bucs were heading in the right direction before Tom Brady arrived in Tampa Bay. And they were heading there at top speed.

General manager Jason Licht deserves credit for reeling in Brady, and for building the roster that attracted the star quarterback in the first place. Few general managers over the past 20 years have been as good at drafting premier talent, supplementing the roster in free agency and managing the cap for short and long term success. Licht has also surrounded himself with top-tier people in the front office, including John Spytek, Mike Greenberg, Mike Biehl, Rob McCartney, Jackie Davidson and others.

Bucs DBs Jamel Dean, Sean Murphy-Bunting, Jordan Whitehead and Antoine Winfield, Jr. – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Over the past few drafts, the Bucs have filled the roster with talented, quality players. In 2020, Tampa Bay nabbed two Pro Bowl players in right tackle Tristan Wirfs and safety Antoine Winfield, Jr. The year before, Licht flooded the defense with improvements, bringing in linebacker Devin White, cornerbacks Sean Murphy-Bunting and CB Jamel Dean and safety Mike Edwards.

While the jury is still out on White and Murphy-Bunting to a degree, the former’s peaks have shown the player he can be. Meanwhile, Dean and Edwards both took another leap this past season. Dean should start next season opposite Carlton Davis, while Edwards might align alongside Winfield.

In 2018, Licht found four quality starters in his first six picks. Nose tackle Vita Vea, cornerbacks Carlton Davis III, guard Alex Cappa and safety Jordan Whitehead have all been huge for the Bucs. Vea just signed a massive contract after his first Pro Bowl season, and Davis is a legit Top 10 cornerback. Whitehead could be a player the Bucs are now able to retain due to Brady retiring. We’ll see.

The 2017 draft could have been Licht’s finest hour, but the class has been decimated by injuries. Safety Justin Evans and linebacker Kendall Beckwith were both lost to career-ending injuries after promising starts. Tight end O.J. Howard has looked like an evolving stud at different points in his career, but injuries have zapped his talent. Still, receiver Chris Godwin in the third round has become one of the franchise’s all-time best steals.

Over the past five drafts, nobody has done it better than Licht. He and his staff have an exceptional eye for talent, and they work with the coaching staff to get players who fit the system. That’s a huge advantage the Bucs have over many NFL organizations, whose scouting departments and coaching staffs operate almost autonomously. Licht also understands what positions to value in the NFL – both lines, the secondary and difference-making weapons in the passing game. He’s also been vocal about learning from early career mistakes. That growth has been exemplified in his decisions over the past five years.

Tampa Bay has also provided a model to many teams on how to use free agency. Free agent signings like defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, outside linebacker Shaq Barrett and center Ryan Jensen transformed the Bucs roster, as did trading for outside linebacker Jason Pierre-Paul. Not only did running back Leonard Fournette work out in Tampa Bay, he also became a much better player. And then the Bucs waited out the market, re-signed him for cheap and got even better play out of him in 2021. That’s terrific front office work.

Bucs DTs Ndamukong Suh and Vita Vea – Photo by: USA Today

Simply put, the Bucs are run by one of the best front offices in the NFL. Their coaching staff isn’t flawless, but what staff is? Look at Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVay screwing up call after call in the NFC Championship game.

The Bucs system works, and Byron Leftwich and Todd Bowles are better coordinators than most NFL teams have. Players respect and love playing for them. And now it looks like more likely than ever that both will be back next season.

There is no question the Bucs will take a step back in terms of their ceiling in 2022. Unless they find a way to grab Aaron Rodgers or Russell Wilson – and I don’t think either scenario is likely – Tampa Bay will probably be a tier below the top of the NFC this year.

But the NFC South is extremely weak, and the Bucs roster is still very good. Brady’s retirement will give them some more cap space to work with this offseason, and they are already in a good spot compared to many other contending teams. Godwin, Davis, Will Gholston and perhaps a few other key free agents will likely be retained. Tampa Bay’s roster will be good next year, and they have all their draft capital to make a move up for a quarterback when the right player comes along.

If Kyle Trask isn’t that guy, finding that next quarterback becomes everything for the Bucs front office. It could be this offseason, or it might be next. Both the draft and free agency are options. It might not show in 2022, but the Bucs can reload quickly and become a contender again. There are questions about almost every top roster and/or coaching staff in the NFC right now. And abundant questions in the NFC South.

Don’t write the Bucs eulogy yet.

The defending Super Bowl champs were on their way to the top before Brady. It won’t take long for them to get back on that trajectory moving forward.