INDIANAPOLIS — Tom Brady to the Tennessee Titans? Tom Brady to the Las Vegas Raiders?
Both options remain squarely in play for the New England Patriots quarterback.
Decision-makers from the Titans and Raiders both declined to commit to a QB for the 2020 season when speaking with reporters Tuesday at the NFL Scouting Combine, leaving the door open for a potential Brady pursuit.
Titans general manager Jon Robinson wouldn’t reveal whether his team plans to use the franchise tag on quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who revived his career with a superb 2019 season. Tannehill, like Brady, is set to become an unrestricted free agent March 18.
“We’ll see how it goes,” Robinson said. “He’s under contract here for the next few weeks, and he did a great job for us. We’ll start those talks and see where those go, just like all the other (free agents).”
Later, Titans coach Mike Vrabel, a former teammate and longtime friend of Brady’s, declined to say whether he hopes to retain Tannehill as Tennessee’s starting quarterback in 2020.
“Ryan did a lot of great things for us,” Vrabel said. “He came in in a tough situation and led our football team. All those players that have expiring contracts, that’s Jon’s job and my job to help put our football team together, and we continue to have those conversations. … I want all of our really good players to come back. That’s how that goes.”
Vrabel also played coy when asked whether the Titans would be a good fit for Brady, saying he won’t discuss players who are under contract with other teams.
“Tom’s a former teammate,” the former Patriots linebacker said. “He’s a friend. He’ll always be a friend. And I know, like a lot of people, he’ll do what’s best for him and his family. Wherever that may be, I’m not sure.”
At a nearby podium, Raiders GM Mike Mayock repeatedly praised his quarterback, Derek Carr, but said the team would consider an upgrade at the position if one becomes available.
Carr posted solid numbers in 2019 while throwing to a subpar receiving corps, setting career highs in completion percentage (70.4) and yards per attempt (7.9) and throwing 21 touchdown passes with eight interceptions. Still, Brady remains the more talented signal-caller, even as he approaches his 43rd birthday.
“Derek Carr played at a high level,” Mayock said. “I’m very happy with Derek Carr. What I’ve told everyone I’ve been in contact with since the day I took this job is we’re going to evaluate every position every year. And if we can get better, we will. You guys get tired of me saying it, but that’s what I told Mark Davis before I took the job, and that’s my mantra.”
Mayock wouldn’t address his team’s reported interest in pursuing Brady as a free agent target.
“I don’t make anything of any rumors,” he said. “All I can tell you about free agency — because I’m not allowed to talk about any of them anyway — is that I’ve watched tape of just about every guy out there at every position, and all that does is uphold what I’m telling you. Every position gets evaluated every year, and if we can upgrade it, we will.”
Brady’s agent, Don Yee, reportedly plans to meet with members of the Patriots organization during combine week.
