Tom Brady’s future beyond the 2019 NFL season remains very much uncertain.
Brady’s contract will expire at the conclusion of the campaign, meaning he’ll either need to work out a new deal with the Patriots next offseason or take his talents elsewhere. There’s also the possibility the 42-year-old finally could elect to hang up his cleats after 20 seasons in the league.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported last week that a return to New England in 2020 is the “least likely” scenario for Brady among his possible options. As such, the football world has begun to project what life in Foxboro could look like in the post-Brady era. NFL Network Charley Casserly, for one, believes the six-time Super Bowl champions should turn to a veteran signal-caller as opposed to grooming a younger player.
If Tom Brady @Patriots were to not be in NE next year, the @Patriots can sign Teddy Bridgewater @Saints and they will keep on winning @nflnetwork
— Charley Casserly (@CharleyCasserly) October 28, 2019
Bridgewater proved to be a life saver for the Saints while Drew Brees was sidelined with a thumb injury. In six games (five starts) this season, Bridgewater completed 67.7 percent of his passes for 1,370 yards with nine touchdowns to only two interceptions. The 26-year-old guided New Orleans to a perfect 5-0 record in Brees’ absence and considerably boosted his stock in the process.
Considering Bill Belichick has made it work with Matt Cassel, Jimmy Garoppolo and Jacoby Brissett over the course of his tenure in New England, one has to imagine he’d be able to do so with Bridgewater under center. At a minimum, Bridgewater doesn’t really have a propensity for turnovers, and a ton might not be asked of him should the Patriots maintain their vaunted defense.
That said, New England’s potential interest in Bridgewater probably will be impacted by Jarrett Stidham’s progression. If the franchise feels Stidham is a capable starter come next offseason, it could elect to roll with someone familiar with the system instead of a new face.
This obviously is tapping fairly deep into hypotheticals, though. Should Brady continue to avoid sharp decline and is interested in playing another season, there’s no reason to believe the two parties wouldn’t be able to come to terms on a new deal for the future Hall of Famer.
