Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady is expected to return for the second and final season of the two-year, $50 million deal that he signed with the squad the last offseason after a 20-year stay with the New England Patriots. After leading the Buccaneers to their first Super Bowl title since 2002 following a 31-9 beating of the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs, the 43-year-old Brady expressed his desire to consider playing beyond 45 years old if his body and his on-field performance allow him to. Buccaneer's general manager Jason Licht can fulfill Brady’s wish as he declared on Wednesday that he and coach Bruce Arians would be elated to sign the veteran quarterback beyond the 2021 season, per Jenna Laine of ESPN.

Licht highlights a great relationship with Brady

During an interview on The Rich Eisen Show, Licht expressed the team’s intention to sign Brady to a contract extension, but refused to provide additional details of any conversations with Brady's agent Don Yee. "Bruce and I both have a great relationship with Tom, and I have a good relationship with his agent," Licht said. “We would love to have Tom play here -- I can speak for Bruce -- I think as long as he continues to want to play,” he stressed, adding the team would be elated if that comes to fruition.

Giving Brady a contract extension in the offseason would benefit the Buccaneers, who currently have around $30 million in cap space to sign some of their key players.

Among the Buccaneers’ key players who will turn free agent are wide receivers Chris Godwin and Antonio Brown, linebackers Lavonte David and Barrett, tight end Rob Gronkowski, and running back Leonard Fournette, who expressed interest in staying in Tampa Bay. During the interview, Licht said the Buccaneer intend to keep center Ryan Jensen and left tackle Donovan Smith amid rumors that they could become cap casualties.

Arians expects Brady to be ready by June

Days after winning the Super Bowl, it was reported that Brady will undergo offseason knee surgery, which was earlier described in an earlier report by Ben Volin as “more than just a little cleanup.” Amid the uncertainty of the offseason program due to the pandemic, Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians expect Brady to recover and ready to practice by early summer.

"I think he's probably looking [at] somewhere around June, right now, from what I hear," Arians said. The veteran head coach said Brady doesn’t have to throw as he only needs to coach the team. Arians stressed the need for an offseason program, not for Brady, but for the younger players of the team who need to further develop their skills. “We don't need to miss another one,” stressed Arians, per Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk.