Bucs GM: 'We'll leave the light on' for Brady
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will welcome back Tom Brady with open arms if the quarterback opts to reverse his retirement this offseason.
"We'll see what the future holds," Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht told "Good Morning Football" on Tuesday at the NFL combine.
"Right now, we're trying to make our plans to move forward if that's the case that we need to move forward on," Licht added.
Tampa Bay is reportedly willing to do whatever is necessary to facilitate Brady's comeback.
Brady said in mid-February that he would "never say never" about playing again, fueling speculation that he could return for a 23rd NFL season.
Licht also seemed to suggest the Bucs aren't convinced Brady will stay retired.
"We'll leave the light on," he said. "You always leave the light on for a guy like Tom Brady."
Head coach Bruce Arians, however, apparently believes Brady's decision is a permanent one.
"He slammed it shut when I talked to him," Arians said, according to Greg Auman of The Athletic.
But even if Tampa can't persuade the future Hall of Famer to reignite his career, the team apparently isn't heading into a rebuild. The Bucs are reportedly eyeing potential blockbuster trades for Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson and Seattle Seahawks signal-caller Russell Wilson.