Tom Brady's trade talk to Dolphins never made much sense for Buccaneers

Rumors about an offseason trade sending Tom Brady to the Miami Dolphins just won't go away. That makes sense, given the gravity of what such a move would have meant in the NFL. Add in the rumors of Sean Payton coaching the team, and this alternate reality is one of the most intriguing storylines in years.

At this point, we can safely assume Brady is suiting up for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2022. The rumors existed while he was retired, potentially using that as leverage to force a trade elsewhere. Bruce Arians is now in the Tampa Bay front office, seemingly giving the quarterback what he wants.

But back to the Miami rumors. One thing that became clear is that such a deal would have meant a large bounty of picks would have traveled north from Miami to Tampa Bay. However, this was all for the Dolphins' benefit. Why would the Buccaneers ever swing such a deal with a soon-to-be 45-year-old quarterback?

The Buccaneers never benefitted from a potential Tom Brady trade

Tampa Bay Buccaneers v New York Jets

The Buccaneers did not rush to make a move for a quarterback once Brady retired. They likely held out hope he would change his mind. If he never did, they could have drafted someone or pursued the likes of Baker Mayfield or Jimmy Garoppolo.

The point here is that the franchise has no interest in rebuilding at the moment. They want to chase, at least, one more Super Bowl with Brady leading the way.

There is an argument to be made that the quarterback could have forced his way out. In that scenario, a trade would make sense for the Buccaneers. However, he would have been stuck, and the two sides could have, instead, worked something out for 2022.

The Buccaneers already know they could lose Brady for nothing in 2023. Again, they are all-in to win a Super Bowl this year and will worry about the consequences later.

This method of running a franchise is why the trade rumors always seemed a bit off. If they really wanted to get draft capital, they could have put the quarterback on the trade block and let him pick his destination. Instead, they realized they won the lottery and are holding on to Brady with a tight grip. Losing him would have ensured the end of a Super Bowl pursuit this season.

Ultimately, the Brian Flores lawsuit put an end to this potentially dramatic situation. The Dolphins hired Mike McDaniel, and Tua Tagovailoa remains under center. Yet even if the lawsuit never happened, everyone seems to be forgetting that the Buccaneers were always a major part of this equation.