Tom Brady's retirement means the Tampa Bay Buccaneers can move on

It's that time of year again: Tom Brady retirement season.

Yes, but: In his Wednesday announcement, Brady swore it's for real this time.

• Of course, the internet is having trouble believing it.

Don't forget: He already worked out a sweet post-retirement plan last year, with a movie release this week and a 10-year, $375 million deal to join Fox Sports as an NFL analyst.

Why it matters: After a lackluster season, the Buccaneers can officially move on and scout another quarterback to bring back our Champa Bay reputation.

• Rumored replacements include the 49ers' Jimmy Garoppolo, the Ravens' Lamar Jackson and Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers.

Between the lines: Brady's retirement eases some of his salary cap burden on the team, freeing millions of dollars for the Bucs to spend on players next season.

Thought bubble, from Axios Sports' Jeff Tracy: This seems like, if not quite a good thing for the Bucs, then at least a palatable one.

• They got a Super Bowl out of him, followed by a gravy season the following year with an even better regular-season record (albeit a divisional-round exit).
• This year was ugly, and there's no reason to believe next year would have been much better with an even older Brady. Feels like a good time to hit refresh.

The bottom line: That's not to say the Bucs will have a better season in 2023 without Brady, but it lets the team finally look ahead instead of remaining stuck in this extended Brady retirement tour.