Jameis Winston may have led the NFL in passing in 2019, but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers feel they are upgrading at quarterback with Tom Brady.
Six-time Super Bowl champion Brady has signed for the Bucs having left the New England Patriots following two glorious decades as Bill Belichick's starter under center.
In contrast, Winston, the first overall pick in 2015, has been allowed to hit free agency following five up-and-down seasons in Tampa Bay.
We look at the Stats Perform data as the Bucs swap Winston for Brady at the NFL's most important position.
BRADY V WINSTON: 2019 COMPARISON
Last year Winston led the NFL with 5,109 passing yards, 1052 more than Brady. Tampa Bay's previous starter threw for 8.2 yards per attempt, compared to Brady's 6.6.
The first in @Buccaneers history to throw for more than 5,000 yards in a single season. @Jaboowins pic.twitter.com/ar9AIEsyPp
— NFL (@NFL) January 1, 2020
Yet it was Winston's league-high 30 interceptions - 22 more than Brady - which infuriated coach Bruce Arians and likely resulted in no new contract being offered.
While Brady threw an interception on only 1.3 per cent of his passing attempts, Winston turned the ball over on 4.8 per cent of his throws.
Perhaps the biggest difference in the two is the types of offenses they ran in 2020. In part due to an absence of a true deep-threat receiver in New England's offense, only 8.5 per cent of Brady's attempts travelled more than 21 yards through the air. Compare that to Winston's 15.0 per cent.
Arians has a reputation for wanting those big plays, fortunately he can surround Brady with a supporting cast for just that form of attack...
A NEW TYPE OF RECEIVER FOR BRADY
Brady will inherit two 1,000-yard receivers in Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. Both made the Pro Bowl in 2019 after Evans averaged 17.3 yards per catch - fourth-most among receivers with at least 50 catches - while Godwin had 15.5 yards per reception.
Chris Godwin.
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) January 30, 2020
That's it. That's the tweet. pic.twitter.com/2KSH69aolL
Julian Edelman was Brady's favoured target last year, though he had just 11.2 yards per catch, giving him a career average of 10.9.
Indeed, a look at Brady's most potent weapons in New England highlights how comfortable he has been with smaller slot receivers and scat backs.
Only two of Brady's top 10 targeted receivers (Rob Gronkowski and Randy Moss) are over 5'11". Brady's current top targets in Tampa Bay? Evans (6'5"), Godwin (6'1") and O.J. Howard (6'6").
BRADY: THE BORN WINNER JOINING A HISTORICALLY MEDICORE FRANCHISE
No player has more Super Bowl rings than Brady's six. The Bucs' only Lombardi Trophy was one won 17 years ago.
Tom Brady has as many Super Bowl wins as the entire Tampa Bay franchise has playoff wins - six.
— Stats By STATS (@StatsBySTATS) March 17, 2020
Brady has won 10+ games in 11 straight seasons; the Buccaneers have seven 10-win seasons in team history.#GoBucs https://t.co/JNaJLSle0u
Incredibly, as a starter, Brady has FIVE TIMES as many playoff wins as Tampa Bay have had in their 45 seasons in the NFL, with the Bucs having not reached the post season for 12 straight campaigns.
The 42-year-old's win percentage as a starter in the regular season and playoffs is .774. Tampa Bay's is .387.
Put simply: The NFL's most successful quarterback is joining the league's least successful franchise.
Just as well the 199th overall pick in the 2000 NFL Draft is used to doing things the hard way...