Tom Brady and the Patriots were just eliminated by the Titans in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs. He has mentioned that he probably won’t retire, but his status with the Patriots is up in the air. So where could the future Hall of Famer end up next season? Here are five potential landing spots for Tom Brady. (Odds are by oddsshark.com)
1. New England Patriots -265
It is hard to fathom Brady on any other team. He has won six championships and become one of the best football players of all time. His 20 seasons and 74,571 passing yards have endeared him to Boston fans. He, and the franchise, may not be ready to give that up.
The Patriots could give Brady a short-term deal and hope that he can lead them back to postseason success. Their current backup is Jarrett Stidham, who does not look ready to lead a team to championships. They also will not have a good enough draft pick to get one of the most desired quarterbacks in the 2020 NFL Draft.
2. Los Angeles Chargers +375
The Chargers have an aging quarterback of their own in Philip Rivers. He doesn’t know his status with the Chargers either. If they choose to trade in one of the older quarterbacks in the league for another, they could sign Brady.
Brady will likely only want to play for a Super Bowl contender next season if he does return. The Chargers have a lot of talent on the roster, but have suffered ruthless injuries and bad luck. If they can’t reach a deal with Rivers and still want to compete with their roster, they could call Brady.
3. Indianapolis Colts N/A
Another team that has had surprising quarterback issues is the Indianapolis Colts. Andrew Luck retired before the season and Jacoby Brissett has not inspired the most confidence. The Colts have a solid defense and some talent on offense as well, which could leave them a quarterback short of really competing.
If Brady wants to compete, he can do just that in Indianapolis. What will be very enticing to Brady is that the Colts have a great offensive line and running game. He won’t have to carry the team, but rather just make key plays.
4. Chicago Bears +1600
The Bears had struggles with Mitch Trubisky this year. They have said they are sticking with Trubisky, but that could change if there is a possibility of acquiring a better quarterback. Chicago has a good defense and their window to contend is open, but it may not last for very long.
Their defense can only do so much and the team needs a quarterback and better leadership to lead them to success. Brady would likely enjoy going to another big city and joining a team that has a talented roster that just needs better offense to win the Super Bowl.
5. Carolina Panthers N/A
The Panthers have an odd quarterback situation going on. Cam Newton has been injured a lot over the last two seasons. Kyle Allen played decently, but struggled down the stretch. Will Grier did not look good with the snaps he got this season. Carolina doesn’t have a head coach yet either, so they have some things to figure out.
Carolina would have to pass on Newton and their other quarterbacks to be in the market for Brady. Brady would have to want to play in a market that isn’t big and with a team that has some work to do with their roster.