Tom Brady Will Battle Lack of Practice Time in Tampa Bay with Buccaneers

Because every major American sport that’s typically played at this time of year is now in absentia thanks to the Covid-19 outbreak, we’re shifting our attention to the most important signings, trades, rumors and trends around the NFL via a dedicated daily column. This is Free Agency Watch.

In his 2018 Facebook documentary series, Tom Brady made it very public that he is fighting a battle vs. time. It was right there in the name: Tom vs. Time.

Turning 43 in August, Brady appears to be holding his own against aging. But, when the NFL season finally begins, he’ll be battling another type of time: a lack of it.

Known for his maniacal preparation and attention to detail, Brady will be working with an entirely new playbook and set of teammates in Tampa Bay with the Buccaneers. Normally, that wouldn’t be a huge issue, as Brady would have the entire offseason to familiarize himself with how Tampa Bay coach Bruce Arians plans to run things as well as get to know his new teammates by inviting them out to Montana to work out and run routes, as he has done with Patriots receivers in the past.

But thanks to guidelines the NFL has instituted to combat the spread of the coronavirus, Brady can’t meet up with his new teammates or conduct throwing sessions as he otherwise likely would. During his introductory press conference with the Bucs — which was held over the phone in accordance with the NFL’s new policy — Brady himself acknowledged there would be challenges in getting on the same page with new teammates like wide receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin and tight ends O.J. Howard and Cameron Brate.

“I’m not going to make predictions about how the next few months are going to go and I don’t really know what’s going to happen and what’s predicted with our access to the team facilities and so forth,” he said. “I’m going to do the best I can to be in conversation with guys and try to get together and find ways to meet up in different places and get to work in that sense. Technology is an amazing thing and we’re going to use the technology as best we can to try to get to know each other and for me, they’re ahead of me on what they need to know in terms of the offense. So I’ve really got to get up to speed with the things they already know and their terminology.”

As was clearly evident last year after Brady skipped offseason workouts in New England and then struggled to connect with new receivers on offense throughout the season, getting in practice reps is invaluable for a quarterback whose brain far outpaces his arm. That’s even more true when you consider that 2020 will be the first time Brady will play without the security blanket that Josh McDaniels’s offensive scheme has provided him for nearly a decade.

Does any of that mean Brady, who is one of the favorites for NFL MVP despite not even being voted into the Pro Bowl last season, will struggle in his new home? At this point, it’s too early to tell. And even if he does, it probably won’t have too great of an impact on his legacy, since Brady has already accomplished more than anyone could have realistically expected from a quarterback playing in his 40s.

If Brady somehow does find success next season despite his advanced age and the reduced amount of practice time with his new team, the shine on his guaranteed Hall-of-Fame bust in Canton will only get brighter. Legacy secured and at least $50 million richer, Brady is facing a win-win situation in Tampa — whether he loses out to time or not.

Outside of Tampa Bay, the stream of action in NFL free agency has been reduced to a trickle, but there have still been a few moves of note in recent days.

In Pittsburgh, the Steelers signed former XFL linebacker Christian Kuntz to a one-year contract and another former XFL player, defensive lineman Dewayne Hendrix, to a one-year deal. In Washington, the Redskins signed injury-plagued cornerback Ronald Darby, formerly of the Eagles, to a one-year contract worth $4 million.

In Detroit, the Lions signed former Green Bay wide receiver Geronimo Allison to a one-year deal that will pay him $1 million. Somewhat of a bust for the Packers, Allison looks like a depth play for the Lions, who already have Kenny Golladay, Marvin Jones and Danny Amendola on the roster.

Finally, in Dallas, the Cowboys signed former Rams kicker Greg Zuerlein to a three-year, $7.5 million contract. Prior to battling a foot injury last season, Zuerlein made 90 percent of his field-goal attempts for Los Angeles.