As of now, it seems like Tom Brady would be bound for the AFC West if he leaves New England.
It was reported Sunday both the Los Angeles Chargers and Las Vegas Raiders are prepared to pursue Brady if he reaches free agency. Outside of needing a boost at quarterback, both teams have a business reason to go after the six-time Super Bowl champion. The Chargers are set to play their first season in their brand-new stadium, while the 2020 campaign will mark the Raiders’ first in Las Vegas.
Mike Greenberg, however, believes it would be in Brady’s best interest to remain with the Patriots. While both the Chargers and Raiders can make enticing offers to the 42-year-old, Greenberg believes one key deterrent of going out west trumps any appeal.
“I’m planting my flag, and lord knows I’ve been wrong about far more things than this. He’s going back to New England. I’m telling you right now, he’s going back to New England,” Greenberg said Monday on ESPN’s “Get Up.” “I’ve been saying that all year long. I will believe it when I see it. You want to get back to the Super Bowl? It starts with winning the division. You want to win a division? Stay the heck out of Patrick Mahomes’ division because no team has had to play three games in the playoffs and even made it to the Super Bowl since the 2012 Ravens. It starts by being one of the top two seeds in your conference. You’re not doing that in the AFC West. You’re doing it in the AFC East. I saw him (Brady) last night on the field and he’s hanging out with (Bill) Belichick and they’re all smiles. I’m basing this just on my own guess. I believe he’s going to stay in New England.”
In addition to a wide-open division, the Patriots reportedly are willing to offer Brady quite a bit of cash in order to keep him in the fold. That said, New England has some work to do in order to meet Brady’s reported top priority.
So while Mahomes undoubtedly is a force to be reckoned with, his presence probably shouldn’t be viewed as a dealbreaker for the Chargers or Raiders.
