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Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady and Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow

Here’s a very real scenario in which the Tampa Bay Buccaneers end up with arguably the NFL’s best quarterback 1 year from now.

The Buccaneers go in the tank in 2026. Terrible head coach. Terrible defense. Valiant offense. Think something like a 7-10 or 8-9 record, and they’re out of the playoffs for a second consecutive season.

The offense still has key pieces that could mold into a contender. Offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs, center Graham Barton, and wide receiver Emeka Egbuka come to mind. Maybe add a tight end in the upcoming NFL draft.

Suddenly — mercifully — there’s a new head coach on the way. Maybe Mike Tomlin. Quarterback Baker Mayfield has just played out the 3-year, $100 million contract he signed before the 2024 season.

In the AFC North, the Cincinnati Bengals implode similarly. Superstar quarterback Joe Burrow decides he’s had enough. Enough of the cheap owners. Enough of the miserable Ohio weather during football season. Enough of losing when he should be winning.

Enter the Buccaneers, with money to spend and an ownership group that has shown they will make the biggest move possible when it’s necessary, and with 2 Super Bowl trophies to back that up.

Burrow wants out. The Buccaneers want in. The price is probably something like 2 — maybe 3 — 1st round picks.

One questino: Who says no first?

Buccaneers’ Big Moves Have Paid Off in Super Bowls

We can point to 3 seminal moments in Buccaneers’ history where they gambled big — as big as you can get — and it paid off in amazing ways.

In the 1995 NFL draft, the Buccaneers had 2 1st round picks and drafted 2 future NFL Defensive Players and 2 future Pro Football Hall of Famers in defensive tackle Warren Sapp and linebacker Derrick Brooks — the cornerstones of their 1st Super Bowl-winning team in 2002.

In 2002, the Buccaneers made 1 of the craziest, highest-risk trades in NFL history when they sent their 2002 and 2003 1st-round picks along with their 2002 and 2004 2nd round picks to the Oakland Raiders — along with $8 million cash — in exchange for 39-year-old head coach Jon Gruden. That move resulted in Gruden being the youngest head coach in NFL history to win the Super Bowl in his 1st season.

In 2020, Tampa Bay signed 43-year-old free agent quarterback Tom Brady to a 2-year, $50 million contract and watched him become the oldest player Super Bowl MVP in his 1st season as he led the franchise to its second world title.

Why not take that same bold ethos into a deal with Burrow in 2027?

How 2026 NFL Draft Could Impact Burrow Deal

There is 1 very specific way the Buccaneers’ 2026 NFL draft could impact any potential deal with Burrow.

Perhaps the biggest way would be by drafting an offensive player like Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq, who would be an attractive option for Burrow in trying to lure him to Tampa Bay in a trade.

Burrow will have to like what he says in Tampa Bay if it ever came down to it. The 5-year, $275 million contract extension he signed before the 2023 season runs through the 2029 season and includes a no-trade clause — meaning if the Bengals do entertain a trade he’s the one holding all the cards.

There’s 1 other thing to consider. Burrow had his football awakening in the South with LSU in 2018 and 2019 — why not run it back by moving just a little further south to Florida?