Tom Brady’s days as the quarterback of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers feel numbered following the team’s playoff exit.
But one prominent NFL analyst believes Brady’s time spent in the NFC South is far from over.
ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky thinks Brady’s next team not only has to be in a Super Bowl window but also must possess a strong offensive line, high-end perimeter threats and a standout defense.
That’s a lot to surround Brady with, but Orlovsky sees the Carolina Panthers being able to present that type of opportunity to the legendary quarterback.
“I think the reality for me as I sit here today, I think there is one team that I feel right now in the middle of January that checks those four boxes. That would be Carolina,” Orlovsky said on WEEI’s “Jones and Mego” show on Wednesday. “Carolina’s got a two-year window right now because of their young talent. They got an offensive line that’s probably not top five right now, but they’re trending toward that. They can get there. D.J. Moore is a pretty darn good perimeter player. They would have to add one. And they absolutely have a top 10 defense. And it’s in the NFC.”
While the Miami Dolphins, New York Jets and Las Vegas Raiders have all been thought of as possible destinations for Brady, a soon-to-be free agent, Orlovsky felt those teams wouldn’t have enough around the 45-year-old signal caller to be successful.
The San Francisco 49ers, which is another team linked to Brady, has a treasure trove of talent that Brady could utilize, but Orlovsky is perplexed why they would even consider bringing in another quarterback.
“If you were San Francisco, why? Why would you do this?” Orlvosky said. “You just gave up a ton to go get Trey Lance. You have no idea what you have in him. Brock Purdy still hasn’t lost as your starting quarterback. … If you were them, you’re sitting there going, ‘Why would I chase Tom Brady and bring that here?'”
If Orlovsky is proven correct, it seems like all roads for Brady might lead back to the NFC South.
