Tom Brady is retired. Unless he isn’t.
From the Buccaneers’ perspective. He’s still on the active roster. They’ll keep him there at least until June 1, since any move before then would trigger a $32 million cap charge for 2022.
After June 1, they’re not required to do anything. According to the NFL, the Buccaneers can keep Brady on the active roster all year long if they choose, regardless of whether he does or doesn’t show up -- and regardless of whether he says or does anything that makes his retirement officially official.
Financially, it’s not a huge difference. He has a compensation package of $2.545 million in 2022 and a cap number of $10.545 million. Retirement (or any other move that removes him from the roster) would save only $2.545 million.
So would they simply keep him on the roster, the transactional equivalent of leaving a light on? It’s an option that they have at their disposal, in the event he eventually chooses to come back.
As explained earlier, things get awkward if the Bucs go all in for a new veteran quarterback. If he chooses to play after the Bucs trade for, say, a Russell Wilson or a Deshaun Watson, the Bucs would have to trade or release Brady.
Remember this. He originally signed a two-year contract. Last year, he did a one-year extension primarily for cap purposes. Did Brady and the Bucs discuss the possibility that he’d want to leave after 2021?
These are all questions that became relevant only because Brady, freshly after retiring, decided to start talking about coming back, only six days later. If you don’t like that it’s a topic, blame him. Based on the traffic that most Brady-related stories attract, most of you like that it’s a topic.