The post-Tom Brady era is underway in Tampa Bay, and the Buccaneers may look to known Draft bust to replace the seven-time Super Bowl champion. In a recent interview, Bucs head coach Bruce Arians said Blaine Gabbert, who’s been Brady’s back-up for two years, could very well be the new starter 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 references Gabbert’s string of starting games with the Cardinals back in 2017 when he was coaching Arizona. Gabbert was able to defeat the Jacksonville Jaguars, who finished 10-6 that year and a Titans team that finished 9-7. Trask, who was the team’s second-round pick in 2021, still has ways to go in his development but Arians sounds like he hasn’t dismissed the former Florida Gators quarterback, 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.
