Thursday, 4 a.m.
I don't know what all the fuss is about when it comes to the quarterback of the Tampa Bay Bucs.
Heck, the Buts are surrounded by quarterbacks. They can't move in the hallways without bumping into a quarterback. They have quarterbacks in whispers, quarterbacks in rumors and quarterbacks in speculation. The only place they don't have a quarterback, it turns out, is on the roster.
And that may be a slight problem.
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You know what time of year it is? It's guessing-game time. It's pin-the-tail-on-the-passer time. It's dart-throwing time. It's the time when every team in need (hint: the Bucs) seems to be the logical destination for a quarterback who has proven he can't play somewhere else.
Derrick Carr is coming to the Bucs. That's what NFL.com suggests. Never mind that Carr is overpriced on a team that is under-funded. Never mind that the Bucs won't win the Super Bowl with him or without him. But he's looking for work, and the Bucs are looking for a body, so it makes sense to someone.
Baker Mayfield is coming. That's what Pro Football Network says, among others. Never mind that Mayfield has had his struggles. He's a bigger name than Kyle "Three Completions" Trask.
No, wait. Maybe it's Jimmy Garoppolo who is coming. Never mind that the Bucs dismissed those rumors long ago.
Could it be Carson Wentz? He was just thrown away by the Commanders, who were keeping up with the Colts and the Eagles. Still, rumor ties him to the Bucs.
Or maybe it's Marcus Mariota. Or Jacoby Brissett. Or even Justin Fields, if the Bears decide to can him for another draft pick. Most of these quarterbacks have been thrown away by a team, or two, maybe three. Hint: Used cars don't win the Indy 500.
Speaking of draft picks, the Sporting News links both Anthony Richardson and Hendon Hooker to the Bucs.
You know the point. The Bucs are in desperate need of a quarterback, and only lukewarm bodies are available.
Remember 2006? That felt a lot like this year. The Bucs had an injured Chris Simms, a rookie afterthought named Bruce Gradkowski and Tim Rattay. Gradkowski got most of the starts that year, and the Bucs went 4-12 with five games where they scored a touchdown or less.
Here the Bucs are again. Quarterbacks are overpaid, and they have no money.
What they have is guesswork. And a bunch of guys who don't add up to Tom Brady's left arm.
Good thing for them the 40 days is almost up, huh?