After all the acolades, MVPs, Super Bowl rings and “hometown” discounts, there is a possibility of Tom Brady hitting the open market this NFL offseason. While we’ve witnessed the posteruring from the New England Patriots, albeit through a report of them being willing to offer him more than $30 million, teams around the league will seemingly have a shot at one of the best in the sport.
Franchise Quarterbacks Have Moved Before
Much like front offices for all 30 teams, fans have a reputation to upkeep. However, there comes a time in which we must lay aside our biases and ponder if we would welcome in a supposed enemy. Whether Brady was beating your team and keeping them away from a division title, or perhaps you were tired of all the ‘GOAT’ talk, Brady’s addition to certain teams may increase their chances to win. Joe Montana was in a Kansas City Chiefs uniform, while both Warren Moon and Randall Cunningham suited up for the Minnesota Vikings. Picturing Brett Favre in a New York Jets jersey was a sight, and the Vikings purple was jarring to say the least.
Adding Brady Brings Many Questions
As a loyal fan, do you want Tom Brady as your quarterback for the 2020-21 season? Do you want your team to avoid drafting a quarterback that could change your franchise, in exchange for Brady as a one-year filler? Over the course of the offseason, we’ll go division-by-division and look at the possibilities of adding Brady to each team’s roster.
New England Patriots
This could be the first offseason in 20 years in which Brady could be with another team. At the moment, there isn’t a quarterback on the depth chart to slot in for 10 wins, is there? We have seen Bill Belichick do wonders with Jacoby Brissett and Jimmy Garoppolo in the past, so finding an efficient quarterback shouldn’t be an issue, right?
One of the issues with the process will be the wait-and-see approach, as it is highly unlikely the Patriots brass will reach into the first round to select a quarterback. The age and lack of production from Brady last season may have fans willing to move on, but his accolades also allow fans to expect him to return to form if he is in uniform.
Buffalo Bills
What if the Bills front office decided to punt on Josh Allen for one year of Tom Brady? There would likely be a reckoning, even with the irony of Brady ending his career with the team that jumpstarted his career. Would Brady fare better than Doug Flute, Rob Johnson or Ryan Fitzpatrick?
Coming off a season where they made the playoffs, the reigns of the quarterback position should be left in the hands of Allen. Even if some pundits do not believe wholeheartedly in the young quarterback, there is no way Brady should be entertained.
Miami Dolphins
The AFC East as a whole has recycled much of what each other have discarded. Former coaches, general managers, and players have all participated in the AFC East’s version of the county fair. How about Tom Brady at quarterback?
Bringing in Brady could be the one acquisition to drum up more animosity between the two rivals. Miami has a former Patriot coach at the helm in Brian Flores, warm weather, and a media market to boot. However, their lack of talent and assurance of success for Brady is too large of a barrier to ignore.
New York Jets
Every ghost, demon and losing season could be forgotten if the Jets sign Brady. We all remember how the Brett Favre experiment went, but could this be any different. While the team is posing a younger option in Sam Darnold, their roster has a lot of question marks moving forward. It is extremley unlikely that Brady will entertain signing with New York, as they will instead look to build upon what they already contain.
Photo Credit: Thomas Campbell – USA TODAY Sports
