Mark Madden: Tom Brady makes Tampa Bay better, but slow down on Super Bowl talk

Lots of TV’s talking heads are calling Tampa Bay the favorite to win the NFC. Tampa Bay’s odds to do so went from 20-1 to 13-2 at Las Vegas’ Westgate sports book.

Only defending conference champ San Francisco has a lower number at 9-2. Tampa Bay’s odds of winning the Super Bowl went from 40-1 to 14-1.

All because the Buccaneers are expected to sign a 42-year-old quarterback who didn’t play great last season and lost four of his last six games.

Tom Brady might be the G.O.A.T.

But now, he’s mediocre. His name changed those odds, not his performance.

Tampa Bay agreeing to ink Brady is understandable. Brady will be better than Jameis Winston, and certainly won’t throw 30 interceptions. (Or 33 touchdowns.)

But to feel that Tampa Bay goes from finishing 7-9 to playing in the Super Bowl borders on nonsensical.

The Bucs have decent weaponry, including a pair of 1,000-yard receivers in Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. GM Brady may yet add Antonio Brown. Rob Gronkowski at tight end is unlikely, but who would say it’s impossible? (Gronk would have to be released by WWE.)

But not only is Brady old and coming off a blah season, he has spent his entire 20-year career playing in one system under the same coach. He has had hundreds of new teammates, but they’ve been filtered through gradually.

Can Brady adapt? Or will he expect his new team, teammates and system to adapt? How much chaos might that cause?

Tampa Bay won’t collapse. The Bucs will likely be a bit better, and perhaps get a wild card. They traditionally have bad quarterbacking. Brady will be an improvement.

But proclamations of grandeur are forced and invented.

Now that Brady left New England, some feel we’re going to find out who made who between Brady and Patriots coach Bill Belichick.

But Brady needed to leave when he was at (or near) his peak if that was ever to be determined.

Brady will turn 43 in August and is going to a team that went 7-9. If he and/or the Buccaneers stumble out of the gate, the bar can be reset. (So can the odds.) Belichick lost Brady. Both quarterback and coach have an excuse, and a reputation that logically allows use. One or both might fail, but it won’t be called that.

Belichick won’t be hindered much by losing Brady.

Not the way Brady played last season.

Cincinnati QB Andy Dalton is on the block and seems a logical replacement for Brady. He’s Tom Brady (very) Lite. But he’s competent and efficient. Escaping the Bengals should provide so much adrenaline, it would be like hiring Walter White as nutritionist.

The wild card is Tampa Bay coach Bruce Arians. He’s an offensive mastermind and has the disposition to handle the circus that accompanies the addition of Brady. (That’s not Brady’s fault. Shenanigans were going to pop up wherever he signed.) But if B.A. adds A.B., that might cause the circus to implode.

Tampa Bay doesn’t need Brown. They have enough firepower. It’s not worth the risk.

Brady shouldn’t be bashed for leaving New England. His legacy is such it can’t possibly be diminished, even if (when) he fails at Tampa Bay.

Plenty of storylines now exist. New England and Tampa Bay aren’t in the same conference, let alone the same division. But the teams will be compared all season. (Here’s betting the Patriots do slightly better than the Bucs. But both could miss the playoffs.)

The name changed the odds. The name creates the headlines. The name is (and will be) talked about nonstop on TV and radio. The name has hope exploding in Tampa Bay.

But the man is 42 years old. Last season saw him finish 18th in passer rating, 27th in yards per attempt. That’s who Tampa Bay signed: a game manager with a popgun arm.