How Blaine Gabbert Could Emerge As Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Best Option At QB

It may not be what Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans are envisioning, but Blaine Gabbert could realistically emerge as the Buccaneers’ best option at quarterback entering the 2022 season.

The Buccaneers will have to search for another franchise quarterback following Tom Brady’s abrupt retirement. While the franchise prepared itself for this day with the selection of Kyle Trask in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft, there is no guarantee Trask will be ready to take the reins as the starting quarterback.

Enter in Gabbert. The 32-year-old quarterback is best known for his time with the Jacksonville Jaguars as a first-round draft bust. Gabbert spent three uneventful years with the Jaguars, totaling a collective record of 5-22 while throwing more interceptions (24) than touchdowns (22).

Gabbert has since rebounded from his early struggles as the Jaguars’ franchise QB as a journeyman backup quarterback. In fact, this is his second stint playing under Bruce Arians after starting five games for the 2017 Arizona Cardinals.

While speaking to Rick Stroud of The Tampa Bay Times, Arians sounded confident in Gabbert possibly entering the 2022 season as the Buccaneers’ starting QB.

“People may not like the overall record, but Blaine had eight head coaches and eight coordinators his first eight years,” Arians said. “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 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.”

The idea of having a first-round bust who hasn’t started a game since 2018 take over the reins of a team that’s supposed to contend for a Super Bowl is a scary thought. However, his familiarity with Arians’ system is unmatched. In fact, it was Gabbert who taught Tom Brady the offense when he arrived back in 2020.

Most importantly, the Buccaneers may not find a better option on the market, whether that’s via trade or free agency.

“Plan A” for the Bucs would see Tampa Bay pursue a star such as Aaron Rodgers or Russell Wilson. But what are the chances the Green Bay Packers or Seattle Seahawks actually trade an elite quarterback to an NFC rival?

Even if the Packers or Seahawks are willing to enter full-scale rebuilding mode, they would be asking for a boatload of draft picks and several star players in return. At that point, it’s probably not even worth it for the Buccaneers to pursue such a trade.

“Plan B” then comes down to quarterbacks in the Jimmy Garoppolo and Carson Wentz tier. These are guys that are not elite quarterbacks, but have proven capable of leading successful teams. They’re more game managers than they are capable of carrying a team.

This becomes a very appealing option for the Bucs. The problem is, they’ll have to contend with nearly a dozen teams searching for a new franchise quarterback. Outside of Tampa Bay, as many as 10 other teams could be on the hunt for a new starting quarterback.

The market is already shallow as it is. When not including quarterbacks who will surely be on the market — Garoppolo and Wentz — the best quarterbacks in the free agency pool are guys such as Jameis Winston and Teddy Bridgewater.

Both fit the mold of game managers, except neither have had the success that both Garoppolo and Wentz have had. Furthermore, Winston could very well re-up with the New Orleans Saints.

While Gabbert will technically be a free agent this year, he’ll easily be re-signed to a cheap, incentive-laden deal (contingent if he wins the starting job). He earned $2 million last season and will be a welcome re-signing for Tampa Bay considering their salary cap difficulties. The Bucs will have a little less than $7 million in available cap space entering the offseason.

Gabbert’s resume isn’t impressive in any shape or form. In fact, he’s never ranked in the top 10 in any major passing category. He hasn’t even started at least half of a season since 2015.

But his familiarity with Arians’ system, his veteran experience and the fact that he’s actually just as good — if not a better — option than any QB on the market means he could be the Buccaneers’ best bet entering the 2022 season.