Maybe Tom Brady’s perceived list of suitors isn’t nearly as long as we thought.
It was reported Monday that neither the New York Giants nor the Indianapolis Colts — both of which have been tied to Brady in rumors this offseason — have any real plans to pursue the future Hall of Fame quarterback. But even with those teams out of mix, Brady’s market still was expected to be fairly strong, with teams like the Los Angeles Chargers, Tennessee Titans and Las Vegas Raiders reportedly poised to pursue the 42-year-old.
Or so we thought.
“As for possible suitors? There’s a feeling that – while all the skill-position pieces may be in place in Tampa Bay – laid-back head coach Bruce Arians may be too much of a swing in the opposite direction from ‘No Days Off!’ (Bill) Belichick,” NBC Sports Boston’s Tom E. Curran wrote. “Las Vegas head coach Jon Gruden, I was told, isn’t going to cold-shoulder Brady if the quarterback’s people reach out but the team isn’t planning to give great chase.”
The Raiders arguably have been the most consistent team in Brady chatter this offseason, including one report that indicated Las Vegas was willing to offer Brady a two-year, $60 million deal. The Silver and Black’s perceived interest made sense, too, as Brady probably would be an upgrade over Derek Carr, and the six-time Super Bowl champion conceivably would generate considerable buzz around the team as it enters its inaugural season in the Entertainment Capital of the World.
That said, there’s always a chance the Raiders would rather go younger. Las Vegas, owner of the 12th overall pick in next month’s draft, is in position to grab one of this year’s top signal-caller prospects if it feels so inclined. With Carr still under contract for three more seasons, a QB drafted this year would have plenty of time to develop and could evade the pressure of topping the depth chart from the get-go.
But with the league’s legal tampering period set to begin March 16, we’ll soon have a clearer understanding of the Raiders’ plans.
