Tom Brady’s season ended on Monday when he put forth a hapless effort against the Dallas Cowboys. Now, his free-agent frenzy begins. Some surprising teams will come into the woodwork.
It seems like once again the greatest quarterback of all time is looking for a new team. After announcing his retirement last offseason, then rescinding it in one of the most tumultuous offseasons for a superstar in the NFL, Brady put forth one of the worst seasons of his career. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers limped into the playoffs despite a star-studded roster. Now, it’s likely the Bucs have seen the last game with Brady under center.
Brady has been rumored to many teams. The Miami Dolphins have been tied to Brady for two years now, and despite their commitment to Tua Tagovailoa, Brady will change that. San Francisco sounds like a dream destination for Brady, but how will that work with Brock Purdy now? Also, Trey Lance is still a thing (a thing that cost the 49ers three first-round picks).
There are even rumors the Patriots make sense as a return destination for Brady. Mac Jones looked messy this season. While it’s probably the offensive staff’s fault, an aging Bill Belichick doesn’t have a lot more chances to win a Super Bowl. That defense is championship-caliber. The offense is another story.
Still, there could be some surprises that come into the mix. The first one has a lot of interesting ties to Brady.
Free agent destination for Tom Brady: Tennessee Titans
When looking at who might be the best destination for Tom Brady, let’s look at the ties. The Tennessee Titans have Mike Vrabel as the head coach. Brady and Vrabel are friends, as we learned when they traded barbs during joint practices back in 2021. The two could really fill the needs of the other.
The Titans have a good defense and one of the best running backs in the game in Derrick Henry. The Bucs, on the other hand, have one of the worst running games in the league. It will be nice to get back with a friend. Brady played under Belichick, who was a total totalitarian. Then, he played under Bruce Arians, who was the polar opposite. Vrabel is a good mixture of the two.
The Titans have Ryan Tannehill, Malik Willis, and Joshua Dobbs under center. It’s not the best position to be in. Brady comes in and immediately makes the team the favorites in the division. The AFC South is still bad. That likely won’t change in the offseason. So, Brady can get somewhat of a guarantee when it comes to making the playoffs, similar to what he got with the NFC South.
Free agent destination for Tom Brady: Los Angeles Rams
If the San Francisco 49ers say no to Brady, the soon-to-be 46-year-old could still return to his California roots. Sean McVay says he is returning to the Rams. Matthew Stafford is expected back with him, but there have been multiple rumors he could retire. It’s somewhat surprising that no rumors about Brady to the Rams have been formulated, but it’s probably out of respect to Stafford.
The Rams have an interesting roster. Cooper Kupp is one of the best receivers in football. That will intrigue Brady, especially since he can do more in short-yardage situations. The Rams’ defense still has an incredible amount of talent. Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey are still two of the very best at their positions. If Brady sees Donald return and Stafford retire, it could be the perfect place for Brady to continue his career.
Brady is still doing this at such an advanced age because he thinks he can still win a Super Bowl. He had moments this past season where the “old Brady” would come out. If that Brady comes out with the talent of the Rams, then this is definitely a contender. The NFC West is a much harder division than the NFC South, but the Rams could still make the playoffs with this roster. Brady would make them an intriguing contender who would be hard to deny.
Free agent destination for Tom Brady: Arizona Cardinals
This would take a little bit of craziness, but this is the NFL offseason, after all. So, remember all those rumors about Brady and Sean Payton trying to facilitate a partnership last off-season in Miami? It didn’t work, but things would be much easier this off-season. Brady is a true free agent, and Sean Payton is publically shopping his services to the world. There are three situations where they could land on the same team: the Arizona Cardinals, the Carolina Panthers, or the Indianapolis Colts. The Cardinals are the best of these three options, so let’s pitch it to ownership.
The Cardinals have a stacked roster on offense. DeAndre Hopkins, Malcolm Brown, Rondale Moore, and Greg Dortch is a unit that oozes talent at the wide receiver position. James Conner has been sufficient at the running back position, and the mixture of Maxx Williams, Trey McBride, and Zach Ertz gives Brady even more options at tight end. There is a lot at the skill positions for Brady to play with.
The elephant in this room is Kyler Murray. The Cardinals JUST gave him a massive contract. However, about a dozen teams could need a QB this offseason. Wouldn’t the Colts give up a first-round pick for Murray? What about the Commanders? The Panthers sorely need a QB like Murray. The list goes on.
The other issue is the fact the Cardinals fired Kliff Kingsbury, forcing them to pay out his contract. Will the ownership there be willing to pay the ridiculous price Sean Payton wants to return to coaching on top of Kingsbury’s buyout? Getting to the end of Brady’s career might be worth it. Wouldn’t jersey sales alone pay for Payton’s buyout? It doesn’t make sense until it plays out, then it makes perfect sense.