When veteran quarterback Tom Brady signed a two-year, $50 million contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the biggest concern raised was his ability to adjust to a new system after spending 20 years with the New England Patriots. When training camp started, all eyes are on Brady. He tries to develop chemistry with young teammates and with veteran coach Bruce Arians, who let his franchise quarterback Jameis Winston go for the 43-year-old signal-caller who won six Super Bowl titles with the Patriots. With several days of training camp in the books, Arians was asked during an interview with CBS Sports Network's "We Need To Talk" about his assessment of Brady and how he has adjusted to a brand new system.
"He has a great rapport with young players, building their confidence," Arians said of Brady, calling the veteran quarterback "like a second coach on the field." There are instances in the field that the players listen to and follow Brady's instruction more than the coach. Arians added that Brady is a joy to coach because he asks too many questions regarding individual plays.
Arians says Brady can still throw
Arians also allayed worries about Brady's arm strength, saying he has been making all the throws throughout training camp, which is important in the Buccaneers' vertically-oriented passing attack. "Tom is Tom," Arians said. "He's brilliant. He's got a great stroke with the ball and can make every throw still." Arians added that Brady had raised the level of expectation around everybody and accountability of his teammates.
With Brady surrounded by young superstar receivers like Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, the Buccaneers are expected to end their postseason drought. The last time the Buccaneers made the playoffs were in 2007, but this time around, they are expected to go deep into the postseason and even win their second Super Bowl.
Patriots 2nd to Cowboys in terms of value
Since Robert Kraft bought the Patriots in 1994 for around $172 million, the team soared to new heights in terms of championships and value. From its P225 million worth that year, the Patriots are now worth $4.97 billion, per Sportico in its ranking released Tuesday. However, the Patriots trail the Dallas Cowboys worth $6.43 billion, per Darren Hartwell of NBC Sports Boston.
Kraft also owns another professional team – the New England Revolution of the MLS. The Revolution share Gillette Stadium with the Patriots. The Patriots are looking for a replacement for Brady, with Cam Newton, Jarrett Stidham, and Brian Hoyer as options. As of now, Newton is the overwhelming favorite, owing to his outstanding performance in training camp. The Patriots signed Newton, the 2015 NFL Most Valuable Player, to a one-year incentive-laden deal after being released by the Carolina Panthers in March.
