Everett: Get Tom Brady out of the AFC East
If he’s still playing, just make sure he’s out of the division.
Tom Brady, a thorn in the New York Jets side for the entirety of his New England Patriots career, is a free agent. According to multiple reports, Brady is sought after by a number of teams outside of the AFC East. Since he isn’t coming to Florham Park, the Jets just don’t want to deal with him anymore.
Of course, none of this matters if he stays in New England. But fingers crossed from a Jets fan perspective, he is on the move.
Sam Darnold’s existence as an up-and-coming quarterback makes the Jets a non-factor for Brady. Of course, Tom hasn’t ruled out staying with the Patriots and terrorizing the division for a couple more seasons.
Jets Pro Bowl safety Jamal Adams just wants Brady out of the division. He likely isn’t alone within the team facility with that sentiment.
However, the remaining AFC East teams, the Buffalo Bills and the Miami Dolphins, haven’t been in the middle of the Tom Brady conversations either. If he leaves the Patriots, he is likely leaving the division.
The Dolphins were once considered a dark horse to sign Brady. The Dolphins have the fifth overall pick in the NFL Draft, and have reportedly been looking at quarterbacks. Reports indicate Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Herbert are seemingly at the top of their list. Veteran quarterback and last year’s starter Ryan Fitzpatrick will be looked upon to help groom whoever they select.
Of course, there were headlines over the past couple of weeks that the New York Giants even flirted with the idea of bringing Brady in but that appears unlikely. Ultimately, they do not want to upstage Daniel Jones, who was their first round draft pick a season ago and was solid as a rookie.
The Jets fan only wants Brady to play somewhere where two of his 16 games (or is that 17 games?) are not against Gang Green. Simply put, get Brady out of the AFC East!
Tom Brady has 28 regular-season wins against the New York Jets as a starter, joining Brett Favre as the only other quarterback with at least 23 wins against two divisional opponents.
Suitors for the future Hall-of-Famer include the Las Vegas Raiders and the Tennessee Titans. Other teams that have shown interest are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Los Angeles Chargers. The Titans have their own decision to make on whether to franchise tag Ryan Tannehill. In Oakland, Derek Carr’s future hinges on Tom Brady’s decision as well. Those quarterbacks could see their futures affected if a team opts to sign Brady.
Staying far out of the division, the San Francisco 49ers were reportedly showing interest. That appeared to be coming from the Brady camp, according to reports. The intrigue of what it might mean for Jimmy Garoppolo fueled speculation.
Brady's agents can negotiate with other teams starting March 16 at noon ET. The official start of free agency is March 18 at 4 p.m. ET.
If he signs elsewhere and leaves New England after two decades of dominance, the suddenly Brady-less AFC East is wide open. Just in time for the rebuilding Jets.
