If you ask Mike Greenberg, Tom Brady should realize there’s no place like home.
Greenberg hasn’t budged from his prediction that Brady, who can become a free agent in mid-March, will be playing for the New England Patriots in the 2020 NFL season. That said, the “Get Up” host believes there are a handful of teams out there that, at a minimum, make sense as landing spots for the six-time Super Bowl champion.
But where do said teams rank in terms of fit for Brady? Greenberg narrowed his list down to five Thursday morning on ESPN.
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: “I think you have to find yourself, first and foremost, a division that you can win. That is the most important thing right now. No team has made it to the Super Bowl without a first-round bye in the playoffs since 2012. That (NFC South) is a very favorable division. They have two outstanding receivers, they can run the ball and they play some defense.”
4. San Francisco 49ers: “Only because of all of this conversation that has been out there of it being a possibility. If I thought it was a real possibility, I would put them much higher on the list. Obviously, this is a team that was in the Super Bowl this year. They probably have the best defense in the National Football League and they can run the ball like crazy with a good offensive line.”
3. Tennessee Titans: His (Brady’s) former teammate, Mike Vrabel, close friend, is the head coach. They run the ball like crazy, they play good defense. It’s another favorable division (AFC South). Don’t love what I see anywhere else unless the Colts go out and get themselves a great quarterback. I like that spot a lot if winning is the key.”
2. Dallas Cowboys: “Nothing would be more interesting than if Tom Brady went to the Dallas Cowboys. I’m not telling you that I think it will happen, but I’m telling you that if it did, I’d be the happiest person in the entire world because Tom Brady on the Cowboys equals ratings bonanza for everyone, including us (ESPN). All kidding aside, I think they’re probably better off with Dak (Prescott), but they don’t seem to.”
1. New England Patriots: “The best chance Tom Brady has of winning a Super Bowl next year is to stay right where he is and that is right in New England. I think he’s playing this exactly right. I think he’s doing what the NBA free agents do, what LeBron (James) does — the one-and-one thing. You gotta go out (and say), ‘Hey, Bill (Belichick). I’m tired of throwing to these guys I’ve never heard of before in my entire life. I’m tired of making people who can’t even play look a lot better. So, go out and get me the weapons.’ You get him two offense weapons, with that defense, that coach in that division and Tom Brady has the best chance of anywhere of getting back to the Super Bowl.”
While some might scoff at America’s Team coming in at No. 2 on Greenberg’s list, he isn’t the only talking ahead who views Dallas as a good spot for Brady. Colin Cowherd believes the future Hall of Famer in a Cowboys uniform “looks right.”