Tom Brady enters the offseason as a free agent at age 45 after setting NFL single-season information for go makes an attempt and completions within the final two campaigns with the Buccaneers. I am informed he plans to take a month or two to guage all his choices to not make an emotional determination following Monday night time’s season-ending loss to Dallas. Within the meantime, listed here are his greatest and most sensible choices.
Raiders
Brady would immediately vault the Silver and Black into competition standing. He’d have an arsenal of top-tier receiving threats with perennial All-Professional Davante Adams and former Professional Bowlers Darren Waller and Hunter Renfrow. You possibly can add 2022 speeding champion Josh Jacobs if the Raiders signal him to an extension slightly than let him stroll as a free agent.
Maybe simply as importantly, Brady might lastly reunite with coach Josh McDaniels. They spent roughly twenty years collectively in New England and maintained a great friendship predicated on mutual respect and belief. Las Vegas presently has greater than $22 million in cap area, in line with OverTheCap, which slots as ninth most within the NFL. Cash should not be a problem.
Historically, Brady has excelled enjoying with a dominant tight finish. Waller is not Rob Gronkowski – who’s? – however he is a real vertical seam menace able to dominating within the purple zone. Renfrow is a slot murderer whose brief space quickness rivals Julian Edelman, Wes Welker, or Deion Department. Add Adams, a first-ballot Corridor of Famer smack-dab in his prime, and Jacobs, a real bell-cow again, and the Raiders are very appetizing.
Panthers
The Panthers are a sneaky group for a few causes, none extra vital than the potential to hitch forces with head coach Sean Payton. As nice as Brady is, has he ever had anybody pretty much as good as Payton in his nook? With due respect to McDaniels, Invoice O’Brien, and Invoice Belichick, Payton is certainly one of our technology’s actually nice offensive minds. Keep in mind, he took Drew Brees – forged off by the Chargers in 2005 – and helped remodel him into one of many biggest quarterbacks ever.
Granted, Carolina is a protracted shot to land Brady, nevertheless it’s removed from a loopy concept. Brady would get to remain within the NFC South, a weak division he is acquainted with. Payton and Brady would even have the luxurious of a gifted repertoire of receiver D.J. Moore and operating backs Chuba Hubbard and D’Onta Foreman – ought to he signal an extension. The Panthers even have one of many NFL’s higher offensive traces.
This is the actual key, although. Proprietor David Tepper is hell-bent on making a splash with a horny head-coaching rent and is prepared to pay prime greenback. As I’ve reported, Payton is in search of a multi-year deal value a minimum of $20 million per season. It is my understanding that Tepper can be prepared to pony up the large bucks for Payton but additionally needs a real franchise quarterback – the group hasn’t had one since Cam Newton’s heyday – to enhance the uber-creative coach. Regardless of Brady being within the again half of his 40s, that will not tame Tapper’s pleasure if he can safe the 2 as a bundle for 2023.
Dolphins
Miami’s a bit murky given the unknown standing concerning quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. When he was wholesome this season, Tagovailoa performed like a franchise quarterback: decisive, correct, and effectively on his method to his first Professional Bowl. We additionally know the Dolphins had been very near getting Brady a few years in the past. Its efforts had been torpedoed after the NFL disciplined the franchise in August 2022 for making impermissible contact with Brady in 2019 and 2020 whereas he was nonetheless beneath contract with the Pats. Brady and proprietor Stephen Ross are each Michigan alumni, which helped result in an onslaught of rumors that Brady wished to purchase a stake within the group.
Nonetheless, from a soccer perspective, the underside line is Miami has the correct personnel to accommodate the GOAT. The membership has two of the sport’s quickest – and greatest – receivers (Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle) and an offensive guru in head coach Mike McDaniel, who helped elevate Tagovailoa’s sport of their first yr collectively.
One key element we have to contemplate is Bruce Beal, Stephen Ross’ longtime enterprise accomplice, who beforehand helped orchestrate the Brady-to-South-Seaside efforts. However Beal not appears to have the juice contained in the group to tug off such a maneuver after getting the Dolphins docked for tampering. Whereas that does not essentially put the kibosh on getting Brady, it actually does not assist, notably when Brady has a number of different engaging choices. He additionally has two kids residing in Miami.
Jets
Earlier than you scoff at Brady going to the Jets, contemplate the veteran quarterback returning to the AFC East and being supported by a superb younger roster on either side of the ball. The group was on the verge this season of incomes its first playoff look for the reason that 2011 marketing campaign, lacking out as a result of its quarterback play fell aside.
Rookie-of-the-12 months candidate Garrett Wilson (83 catches, 1,103 yards, 4 TDs) is already one of many premier younger wideouts in soccer and has the tremendously gifted Elijah Moore flanking him. Do not sleep on what guarantees to be a devastating one-two punch of Breece Corridor and Michael Carter within the backfield. The Jets simply fired offensive coordinator Mike Lafleur, and discovering a succesful alternative will probably be essential with a brand new QB – whether or not it is Brady, Lamar Jackson, or anybody else.
What higher approach so as to add to Brady’s already unparalleled legacy than to convey a winner again to Gang Inexperienced – a as soon as proud franchise whose lone Tremendous Bowl victory got here in 1968? It is also value noting that Brady has a son dwelling in New York.
Broadcasting
The elephant within the room is the 10-year, $375-million contract with FOX Sports activities ready to be activated when he retires. Nearly as good as Tony Romo has been at CBS, who says Brady cannot obtain comparable success? No person is aware of the sport higher. And, like Romo, he’ll have the additional benefit of figuring out all of the gamers, developments, and tendencies of every group and coordinator.
The aggressive juices would possibly coerce Brady into enjoying a twenty fourth season, however broadcasting is an superior avenue for guys who love the sport and need to stay linked. Simply ask Romo, Greg Olsen, and Troy Aikman.
Naturally, I am biased. But it surely’s not a nasty various when contemplating the drastic distinction in stress and time dedication in comparison with enjoying. You get to perch up on the 50-yard line inside a toasty broadcast sales space with nothing however a microphone and your hair gel to fret about.
Jordan Schultz is theScore’s NFL insider and senior NBA reporter. Comply with him on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.
