Buccaneers re-sign backup QB Blaine Gabbert to one-year, $2.5M deal

Recently, the Buccaneers became the first defending champ since 1993 to bring back all 22 starters for the following season. The front office is also making an effort to retain their backups. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that Tampa Bay is re-signing backup quarterback Blaine Gabbert. It’s a one-year deal worth $2.5M for the veteran.

While the Buccaneers re-signed third-stringer Ryan Griffin and drafted Kyle Trask in the second round, the organization has made it clear that it intended to re-sign Gabbert. Bruce Arians explicitly said that he wanted to keep the veteran around, while GM Jason Licht went as far to insinuate that Gabbert could be an eventual successor to Tom Brady.

Gabbert has spent the past two seasons in Tampa, throwing for 143 yards and two scores (all in 2020). The former first-rounder hasn’t been a full-time starter since back in 2012, and he’s started only 21 games since the 2015 season. Still, Gabbert has familiarity with the system (he played for Arians in Arizona) and his teammates, so he’s a natural fit to back up Brady for at least another season.

With teams rarely carrying four active-roster quarterbacks, Gabbert re-signing would point Griffin to either the practice squad or another team, while Trask would settle into a developmental third-stringer role.