Tom Brady

Jets Have Contacted Only Chad Henne, Colt McCoy; Latest On Aaron Rodgers’ Recovery

September 17th, 2023 at 10:06pm CST by Rory Parks

The Jets are 1-1 and reeling from Aaron Rodgers‘ Achilles injury, which ended the future Hall of Famer’s season after four snaps and thrust Zach Wilson back into the starting lineup. We heard in the immediate aftermath of the Rodgers news that New York was exploring the free agent market for veteran passers and had inquired on retired QB Chad Henne.

Dianna Russini of The Athletic (subscription required) confirms that the Jets have indeed reached out to Henne, who has rebuffed their overtures. “The timing doesn’t work,” Henne said.

Gang Green has also contacted Colt McCoy, who was released by the Cardinals on cutdown day and who was mentioned as a possible Jets target several days ago. McCoy, 37, indicated that he has several offers in hand and expects to sign with a club shortly. He had been dealing with an elbow injury, though he should be ready to play this week.

The Jets told both Henne and McCoy that if they were to sign with the team, they would be doing so with the understanding that Wilson is the starter. As a team source told Russini, “[w]e have Zach. Zach Wilson is our best option.”

Offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett was pleased with what Wilson was able to do when he was forced to enter the team’s Week 1 contest against the Bills in relief of Rodgers, and Hackett was also impressed by the progress Wilson made throughout the spring and summer. Wilson appears to have earned the trust of the locker room, with another team source telling Russini that Wilson’s character is “off the charts.” The team has changed “about half of the game plan” to play to Wilson’s strengths, including an overall simplification of the offense.

The organizational view on Wilson explains why, as Russini reports, the Jets have no plans to pursue a more accomplished signal-caller like Tom Brady, Philip Rivers, Ben Roethlisberger, or Joe Flacco (Blake Bortles is reportedly not under consideration either). As Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL.com report, Brady’s purchase of a stake in the Raiders is not yet finalized and is unlikely to be finalized until October at the earliest. Until then, Brady can techincally sign with any team he chooses, but as we noted previously, he continues to insist that he will remain retired.

Rich Cimini of ESPN.com suggests that the Jets, who have the league’s most difficult strength of schedule over the next five games, could reassess the situation over their Week 7 bye. If they are still in playoff position but feel Wilson is holding them back, they could expand their QB search at that time.

Rodgers, of course, has not closed the door on an in-season return. The reason for such optimism, as Rapoport and Pelissero explain in a separate piece, is that Rodgers underwent an innovative surgery to accelerate the rehabilitation process.

The NFL.com duo, building on an earlier report from Russini and The Athletic colleague Jourdan Rodrigue (subscription required), say that a type of internal brace called a “speed bridge” was placed on Rodgers’ torn Achilles. The procedure, which was performed by well-known orthopedic surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache, could allow Rodgers to be back on the field right around the time the postseason begins.

The procedure does involve risk, but Rodgers determined that the possibility of helping his new club make a playoff run this season was worth taking a chance. The 39-year-old (40 in December) could also receive platelet-rich plasma injections to move his recovery along.

Jets Not Planning To Contact Tom Brady About Comeback

September 13th, 2023 at 10:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

As the Jets attempt to reinstall Zach Wilson as their starting quarterback, they are believed to have contacted available quarterbacks to round out their depth chart in the wake of Aaron Rodgers‘ injury. The biggest name available does not appear to be on their radar.

The team is not planning to make a pitch to Tom Brady to unretire for a second time, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, who notes the future Hall of Famer continues to inform those close to him he does not intend to play again. While Brady unretired last year, he was out of the game for barely a month. This retirement has spanned more than seven months.

Brady, 46, retired for a second time on Feb. 1 and has made multiple plans to stay connected to the game after completing one of the greatest careers in sports history. He is planning to begin his tenure as FOX’s top analyst next year and has agreed to buy a stake in the Raiders. While the latter endeavor generated rumors about Brady being an emergency Jimmy Garoppolo injury replacement with Las Vegas, the 23-year veteran shot those down by indicating he was indeed done.

Rumblings of a Brady return to the AFC East caused quite the uproar last year, when the Brady-Sean Payton tampering scandal cost the Dolphins first- and third-round picks. During his first retirement, Brady buzz about becoming a player/owner with the Dolphins circulated. That Miami penalty surfaced just before the Buccaneers reconvened for their 2022 training camp, which preceded a surprising Brady hiatus after he had initially showed up at Bucs camp.

Both Brady and the Bucs proceeded to take significant steps back last season, as injuries mounted along Tampa Bay’s offensive line. While Brady joined a Bucs team with a number of intriguing defensive pieces in 2020, stepping in to help a talented young Jets defense does not look realistic.

The Jets have been connected to the likes of Carson Wentz and Nick Foles, who were each in Philadelphia during Joe Douglas‘ tenure as a Howie Roseman lieutenant. The team has also been linked to be aimed at convincing one player — Chad Henne — to unretire. The ex-Nathaniel Hackett Jaguars pupil came up Tuesday as an option for the Jets, but no indications have emerged regarding the four-year Chiefs backup’s interest in unretiring to play behind Wilson.

Although the Jets made no secret of their effort to replace Wilson this offseason, their primary targets were Rodgers and Derek Carr. Brady was briefly linked to the Raiders as a free agent, but he retired soon after. The NFL still needs to approve of his Raiders ownership path. It would certainly be easier for the Jets to land Brady compared to the Dolphins, who pursued a quarterback still under contract with another team. As of now, however, Wilson is back at the helm for a Jets team that has seen its stock take a substantial hit despite a come-from-behind Week 1 win.

In addition to Brady, the Jets are not pursuing Colin Kaepernick, CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson tweets. Kaepernick, who was brought up as an injury-replacement option often during the late 2010s, contacted the Jets about their sudden QB issue. But the former Super Bowl starter was never a realistic option, seeing as his unique NFL exit occurred more than six years ago.

Colt McCoy may be an option, Anderson adds. The Cardinals released McCoy just before the deadline to cut their roster to 53 players, going instead with recent trade pickup Joshua Dobbs in Week 1. McCoy, who turned 37 earlier this month, spent the past two seasons in Arizona. He came up as an option for New England, but the Patriots have used younger options as Mac Jones‘ backup. This would be McCoy’s 14th NFL season.

Latest On Bill Belichick’s Job Security

July 20th, 2023 at 9:11pm CST by Ben Levine

The post-Tom Brady era in New England has seen more lows than highs. After missing the postseason only once between 2003 and 2019, the Patriots have now missed the playoffs in two of the past three seasons. As a result, owner Robert Kraft is reportedly getting antsy, and he may be pointing the finger at his iconic head coach.

During an appearance on the Rich Eisen Show, NBC Sports Boston’s Tom Curran acknowledged that coach Bill Belichick is currently on the hot seat and has “been there at different levels of warmth since 2019” (Twitter link). While Curran notes that Kraft has recently walked back his demand for a playoff win (something that’s eluded the organization since their last Super Bowl in 2018), the reporter also believes that the organization could consider drastic changes if the team disappoints in 2023.

As Curran hints, Belichick’s approval rating in New England started to see some cracks in 2019. That year, Belichick and the front office refused to commit to Brady beyond that season, and the QB ended up leaving the organization for Tampa Bay in 2020. While Brady going on to win a championship with the Buccaneers surely ruffled some feathers in Foxborough, Curran believes Kraft was most upset that the Patriots didn’t have a plan at the position for the 2020 campaign. The team ended up rolling with free agent Cam Newton as their starter and won only seven games, the organization’s fewest amount since the 2000 season.

The team managed to bounce back in 2021 with a rookie Mac Jones under center, but the wheels fell off in 2022. Belichick did little to replace offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, who left for the head coaching job in Las Vegas. Belichick turned to former defensive coordinator Matt Patricia and former special teams coordinator Joe Judge to lead the offense, and the results were predictably disastrous. There’s been various reports about how much Kraft influenced Belichick’s decision to hire Bill O’Brien for the OC job this offseason, but either way, the owner clearly wasn’t happy with the on-field product in 2022.

Complicating the matter is Belichick’s ongoing pursuit of the all-time wins record. The 71-year-old is 19 wins behind Don Shula for the all-time record (regular season and playoffs), and there’s little chance Belichick or Kraft make a move until the record is set. That would mean the Patriots head coach is locked in through at least the 2024 campaign, but depending on the results of the 2023 season, the team’s owner may not want to wait that long to make a move.

If Kraft does decide to make a head coaching change following the 2023 season, it sounds like the replacement is already in-house. Defensive coordinator Jerod Mayo ended up turning down head coaching interviews this offseason to stick in New England, and it’s believed he’s the heir apparent for the Patriots head coaching gig. Mayo played under Belichick before recently serving as the team’s de facto co-DC alongside Belichick’s son, Steve Belichick. In this scenario, the elder Belichick would likely transition to an advisory role, and Curran believes that the future Hall of Famer would be in support of a Mayo promotion. Of course, that support would be contingent on Belichick ending his coaching career on his own terms.

No Decision Imminent On Roger Goodell Extension, Tom Brady Raiders Ownership Endeavor

July 15th, 2023 at 7:09pm CST by Adam La Rose

July 20 will be a highly important date on the 2023 offseason calendar, with a ratification vote on the sale of the Commanders set to take place. That summit will not include serious discussions of a few other key league matters.

Owners are not expected to arrive at a final resolution on the topics of commissioner Roger Goodell‘s extension or Tom Brady‘s attempt to become a minority owner of the Raiders during the upcoming special league meeting, per Mark Maske of the Washington Post (Twitter link). Neither of those agenda items have as much urgency as the expected transfer of Commanders ownership to Josh Harris, a process which may have encountered a last-minute roadblock.

News of another new deal for Goodell first came out in March, and it has since been confirmed that it will be finalized at some point this offseason. The deal will keep Goodell under contract through 2027, and bring his tenure past the two-decade mark. The 64-year-old is also expected to begin identifying his successor, one who will no doubt be tasked with continuing Goodell’s efforts in growing the league’s revenues to an unprecedented degree. Maintaining the status quo for the intermediate future represents an obvious priority for the NFL’s owners.

Brady is aiming to join that group by creating a new partnership with Raiders owner Mark Davis. The pair already have a working relationship given their shared stake in the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces, which has led to speculation Brady could join the Raiders in a playing capacity. Instead, the seven-time Super Bowl winner is eyeing a hands-off role in the front office, something which will require specific approval from the league’s other owners. As is the case on the Goodell front, though, plenty of time remains for Brady’s Raiders agreement to receive the green light.

The Commanders sale – which the NFL scheduled for late July, rather than early August, demonstrating the optimism surrounding the prospect of a ‘yes’ vote – will of course be a milestone event in the franchise’s history and a major checkpoint on the league’s summer docket. Informal conversations related to the Goodell and Brady situations could certainly take place in Minneapolis, but more serious consideration will come down the road.

Tom Brady To Play “Very Passive” Raiders Ownership Role

June 19th, 2023 at 2:09pm CST by Adam La Rose

With Tom Brady retired for the second and final time, his post-playing future is set on multiple fronts. The future Hall of Famer is set to begin a broadcasting career next fall, but by that time he will likely have begun an ownership tenure with the Raiders.

The deal for Brady to purchase a minority stake in the franchise has yet to be formally approved by the NFL, but that ratification is expected to take place. Presuming it does, the 45-year-old will be able to transition to the front office for the first time, beginning a new partnership with owner Mark Davis. The pair already work together with the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces, though this Raiders arrangement will not involve heavy-handedness on Brady’s part.

“[When] the opportunity came about to become a minority owner in the Raiders, it was a dream come true for me,” Brady said, via Brooke Lefferts of the Associated Press. “I’ll be playing a very passive role. This is something that I’m interested in doing for the rest of my life. This is not something that I’m into it for a year or two years. You know, I’ve got a lot of responsibility with my FOX job, which I take very seriously.”

Brady appeared set to take over the No. 1 analyst job at FOX in 2023, after he agreed to a 10-year, $375MM deal. Instead, he will wait one year before beginning life behind the microphone. That will turn attention back towards his Raiders position, one which will not involve any return to the playing field. As Brady alluded to, his front office endeavor is one he is hoping will play out over the long term, and that he will be able to reflect on in an encouraging way.

“If I’m looking over the course of my life, to have the opportunity to be involved in the NFL is a dream come true,” he added. “And if I could help the NFL and continue to contribute in a positive way, then you know, that’s been a very enjoyable part of my life.”

Scrutiny from the league – especially in light of the Dolphins tampering scandal Brady was connected to last offseason – could threaten or at least delay the confirmation of the seven-time champion’s position in Vegas. If he stays true to his word upon completion of the vetting process, though, Brady figures to have a small but notable voice at the franchise’s table for many years to come.

Brady: ‘I’m Certain I’m Not Playing Again’

June 1st, 2023 at 10:16pm CST by Sam Robinson

With Tom Brady agreeing to buy a piece of the Raiders and the team’s new quarterback — Jimmy Garoppolo — recovering from another surgery, understandable speculation regarding another Brady unretirement has emerged. The all-time great is again attempting to dispel notions he is coming back.

During a recent interview with SI Now’s Robin Lundberg, the former Patriots and Buccaneers quarterback confirmed he is retired. Brady has announced retirements in each of the past two years. While he backtracked on his initial NFL exit in March 2022, the 23-year veteran has remained retired this year and insists he is done.

“I’m certain I’m not playing again,” Brady said (video link). “I’ve tried to make that clear. I hate to continue to profess that, because I’ve already told people that lots of times. But I’m looking forward to my broadcasting job at FOX next year. I’m looking forward to the opportunity ahead with the Raiders.”

Brady, 45, added he is in the process of finalizing the Raiders agreement. Part-owner of the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces, Brady is set to serve in a similar capacity with Mark Davis‘ flagship franchise. NFL owners must approve Brady’s ownership stake by a three-fourths majority. While that majority vote exists for Brady’s ownership stake, a unanimous vote would be required for him to serve simultaneously as an owner/player.

This topic came up during the period in which Brady was connected to serving as a Dolphins owner/player. The NFL came down hard on Miami for its tampering effort involving Brady and Sean Payton, docking the franchise first- and third-round picks and suspending owner Stephen Ross. A year later, the QB icon is planning to enter the ownership ranks with another team.

A comeback with the Raiders certainly would make sense, were Brady interested in a Brett Favre-esque second unretirement. Brady spent many seasons working with current Raiders HC Josh McDaniels as his offensive coordinator, with GM Dave Ziegler also in New England during part of Brady’s 20-year tenure. Garoppolo, Brady’s backup from 2014 until an October 2017 trade exit, underwent surgery on his fractured foot in March.

The latest Garoppolo surgery came to light just last week, and the Raiders reworked his three-year contract to protect themselves against their preferred QB1’s foot injury keeping him off the field. The Raiders also may be in need of another backup option, with ex-Brady backup Brian Hoyer — ahead of his age-38 season — and fourth-round rookie Aidan O’Connell in place behind Garoppolo. Before Brady announced his retirement for a second time, the Raiders looked into the ex-McDaniels charge as a free agent. That door appears closed.

Brady said earlier this year he would not begin his FOX analyst job until 2024, keeping Greg Olsen in that chair for the time being. In 2022, FOX gave Brady a 10-year, $375MM deal to work as its No. 1 NFL analyst. Given his star power and the Raiders’ situation, this might not be the last time the seven-time Super Bowl winner needs to insist he will remain retired. But Brady is moving forward in ownership and broadcasting roles.

Raiders Reworked Jimmy Garoppolo’s Deal; Tom Brady Not Realistic Emergency Option?

May 28th, 2023 at 10:39pm CST by Sam Robinson

While Derek Carr did not exactly bring a high ceiling at quarterback for the Raiders, the nine-year starter is one of the NFL’s most durable quarterbacks. Carr missed two regular-season games (and one playoff contest) due to injury with the Raiders. Las Vegas’ plan to replace Carr is not off to a great start.

Shortly after Jimmy Garoppolo signed a three-year, $72.75MM deal, he underwent surgery to repair the fractured foot he sustained in early December. Faint hopes had kept the door narrowly ajar for a Garoppolo return for Super Bowl LVII, which would have been as a backup given Brock Purdy‘s stunning production, so the new Raiders QB being sidelined likely until training camp raised a red flag. The Raiders ended up making a change to protect themselves.

A delay between Garoppolo’s free agency agreement and the signing of the contract commenced in March. In that time, the Raiders inserted a clause that will offer them protection in the event Garoppolo cannot pass a physical, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports. This addendum gives the Raiders an out in the event the left foot injury keeps Garoppolo off the field, and it converted $11.25MM from roster bonus to base salary.

Garoppolo’s reported agreement featured $33.75MM guaranteed at signing. The $11.25MM bonus — due on Day 3 of the 2024 league year — comprised part of that total. Garoppolo’s other guaranteed cash comes from a $22.5MM 2023 base salary, which the Raiders will only be on the hook for if Garoppolo passes a physical. To some degree, their situation resembles a fifth-year option setup during the period in which the options were guaranteed for injury only. But teams could only cut those former first-rounders free of charge if said player passed a physical a year later; Garoppolo failing his opens the door to a free-of-charge Raiders release.

This reality would introduce significant concerns for Las Vegas, which dumped Carr for one of the NFL’s most injury-prone players. Garoppolo has missed 33 games due to injury since suffering an ACL tear in September 2018 and has only finished two of his past five seasons. In the two Garoppolo did complete, he started Super Bowl LIV and piloted the 49ers to the 2021 NFC championship game. But calf, thumb and shoulder injuries — the latter two requiring surgeries — affected him during the latter season. At 31 and coming off three straight injury-plagued years, Garoppolo is certainly a poor bet to make it through this season unscathed.

On the other side of this, Garoppolo passing a physical removes the clause from the equation, The Athletic’s Tashan Reed and Vic Tafur report (subscription required). Josh McDaniels, who coached Garoppolo in New England from 2014-17, said everything is on schedule for the 10th-year veteran, with the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Vincent Bonsignore indicating the team believes the clause will be moot (Twitter link).

A window exists for the Raiders to release Garoppolo before he passes his physical. Of course, they would be doing so with limited options at the position. The team has used offseason addition Brian Hoyer as its first-stringer during OTAs thus far, per The Athletic, though the 37-year-old passer is far past his prime and would invite obvious questions about the Raiders’ competitive viability this season. The Raiders attempted to keep Jarrett Stidham, but he signed with the Broncos to be Russell Wilson‘s backup. The team hosted the draft’s top five QB prospects and discussed a trade for the No. 1 pick with the Bears. But the Raiders did not make their QB move until the fourth round (Aidan O’Connell). The ex-Purdue arm is viewed as a developmental player.

Carson Wentz stands as the top passer available, and new Raiders pass-game coordinator Scott Turner did coach Wentz as Commanders OC last season. Teddy Bridgewater resides as the other starter-caliber QB left in free agency. Ryan Tannehill could become an option, though the Titans making that move — one rumored earlier this year — could remove them from contention consideration this season.

Moving into elephant-in-the-room status by virtue of his agreement with Mark Davis to buy a piece of the Raiders, Tom Brady looms as well. But owners will need to approve the recently retired quarterback’s purchase. As was the case with the Brady-Dolphins rumors during his first retirement, they would be unlikely to do so if he returned to play. In fact, a league source informed Bonsignore that Brady’s Raiders stake could come with a provision he will only serve as an owner — and not a player — for the franchise.

The Raiders looked into Brady as a free agent — before retirement No. 2 — this offseason. Brady’s past with McDaniels would make him the top emergency solution for the Raiders, even ahead of an age-46 season. But owners were unlikely to approve Miami’s long-rumored Brady plan in which he would have served as a player and owner. Twenty-four “yes” votes will be required for Brady to buy a piece of the Raiders. That could be contingent on the 23-year veteran staying retired. Were Brady dead-set on making a second comeback, he could simply back out of his ownership agreement.

Absent that long-shot solution, the Raiders will need to hope Garoppolo can finish his latest rehab effort. But the team’s quarterback stability has taken a substantial hit this offseason.

Tom Brady Agrees To Buy Stake In Raiders

May 22nd, 2023 at 10:02pm CST by Sam Robinson

Less than four months after Tom Brady‘s second retirement, the legendary quarterback is close to becoming part of a new team — as a part-owner. The rumored Raiders connection will produce an agreement.

Brady agreed to buy a stake in the AFC West franchise, according to SI.com’s Albert Breer (Twitter link). The 23-year veteran passer already went into a partnership with Raiders owner Mark Davis, buying a stake in the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces franchise last year. This does prompt a few questions, but Brady does look set to join the ownership ranks soon.

This agreement will be subject to NFL approval, and Breer adds this piece of business will not be on the owners’ agenda at this week’s league meetings. It would seem likely Brady, 45, agreeing to purchase a presumably small stake in the Raiders will be approved, though it does raise questions about potential objectivity regarding his FOX agreement. Brady signed a 10-year, $375MM deal to become FOX’s No. 1 analyst last year, but the former Patriots and Buccaneers QB said — following retirement No. 2 — he will table that career path to 2024.

Brady’s involvement in the ownership ranks comes just more than a year after this potential foray created considerable trouble for the Dolphins. The rumored Brady path to Miami as a part-owner and presumptive quarterback, in a package deal with Sean Payton, ended up costing the Dolphins their 2023 first-round pick and 2024 third-rounder. Owner Stephen Ross incurred a suspension for his involvement in a multiyear tampering scheme involving Brady.

Monday’s agreement certainly opens the door to the possibility — however remote it might be — of Brady coming out of retirement and playing for the Raiders. This scenario could conceivably affect a potential vote on Brady’s status as a part-owner. Any rumors on this front would lead to Raiders salary cap questions — something a Brady ownership role with the team obviously would not — but Brady obviously has a longstanding relationship with Josh McDaniels and overlapped with GM Dave Ziegler during part of his New England tenure.

While this is not yet a scenario worth discussing in much detail, the Raiders signed ex-Brady backup Jimmy Garoppolo, who has become one of the league’s most injury-prone QBs since leaving the Patriots, and backstopped him with another former Brady QB2 — Brian Hoyer. Las Vegas’ backup will turn 38 this season. Fourth-rounder Aidan O’Connell is positioned as a developmental arm. Should Brady come out of retirement again, Vegas would certainly seem the venue. Unlike last year, when the Bucs held Brady’s rights, the 15-time Pro Bowler is a free agent after playing out his Tampa Bay deal.

The Raiders did pursue Brady as a player during his 2020 free agency but backed out before the finalist stage. Brady famously broached this topic during an appearance on HBO’s The Shop. They also were loosely linked to him this year, with a January report indicating they were doing homework on Garoppolo and Brady. The latter’s retirement took a big-ticket option off the table for the Raiders and other teams in free agency, and Garoppolo signed a three-year, $72.75MM deal in March.

Greg Olsen will spend at least one more season as FOX’s top analyst, and it will be interesting to see how Brady’s ownership agreement — if approved by the NFL — affects matters on that front. For now, the owners will consider Brady’s Raiders stake. But it appears the seven-time Super Bowl winner is close to returning to the league in a different capacity.

49ers To Consider Veteran QB Addition

March 1st, 2023 at 1:25pm CST by Sam Robinson

Kyle Shanahan said last month the 49ers were unlikely to add a veteran quarterback to pair with their injured young passers. The organizational thinking may have changed in the weeks since.

Brock Purdy has not yet undergone his UCL surgery, which had been scheduled for last week before swelling led to its delay. Trey Lance underwent two procedures on his broken ankle. Jimmy Garoppolo is a free agent who is, despite the team circling back to its previous starter at the 11th hour last year, almost definitely departing in free agency.

This setup stands to both give Lance extensive offseason reps, which will be useful for a uniquely unseasoned prospect, and thin out the QB depth for a team that saw both its active-roster passers go down during the NFC championship game. John Lynch said (via the San Jose Mercury News’ Cam Inman, on Twitter) the 49ers “may have to look into the veteran quarterback market” as a protection measure.

Lynch was more diplomatic than Shanahan regarding another Garoppolo deal. After the seventh-year 49ers HC said he could not foresee any scenario in which the veteran QB returned, Lynch said the relationship has “probably run its course.” Garoppolo will be expected to price himself out of San Francisco’s range. The team had planned to carry the Purdy and Lance rookie deals into the offseason, allowing for big spending elsewhere. That still looks to be the blueprint here, but a host of midlevel or backup-type veterans will be available for the contending team. It depends on what role the 49ers want to fill.

If the 49ers merely will seek a practice-level passer to spell Lance at points this offseason, system arms Nick Mullens and Josh Johnson are available. The team wanting a true backup option would open the door to the likes of Case Keenum, Mason Rudolph, Blaine Gabbert, Chase Daniel, Cooper Rush or Taylor Heinicke. A host of bridge-type starter options are also available. It should not be ruled out the 49ers would consider the Baker Mayfield–Andy Dalton–Sam Darnold–Jacoby Brissett tier, given Purdy’s uncertain timetable and Lance’s inconsistency and injury past.

Lance is expected to be ready for OTAs. While Purdy is viewed as the likely starter, he is facing a lengthy rehab — one that could still include Tommy John surgery. That reconstructive procedure would sideline him to start the season. As of now, the 49ers’ goal remains for Purdy to be back in time for Week 1. Lance said during a recent appearance on the Rich Eisen Show he just wants a chance to compete (video link). The North Dakota State alum will have an interesting opportunity ahead, as the 49ers were preparing to go with him last year before his ankle setback. It will be interesting to see if the unpolished prospect can mount a serious challenge to Purdy thanks to a spring an summer of first-team reps.

Lynch responded to question pertaining to interest in Tom Brady by indicating the retired passer sent him a thumbs-up emoji when the GM texted him congrats on his legendary career. Unlike last year, Brady will be a free agent. The 49ers have been linked to the Bay Area native during a few offseasons under Lynch. Considering Brady was connected to wanting to play for his hometown team during his short retirement last year — a scenario the Buccaneers did not entertain — a free agency pact figures to come up. But Brady would not qualify as a Lance mentor; he would be stepping in to start. That would represent a strange scenario for Purdy.

But the 49ers still have one of the NFL’s best rosters. If Purdy is viewed as needing regular-season time to recover, Lance will need to be readier compared to what he showed in 2021 or ’22. If the 49ers do not view the former No. 3 overall pick as progressing this offseason, rumblings of a second Brady unretirement would be difficult to suppress.

Tom Brady Announces Retirement

February 10th, 2023 at 4:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

FEBRUARY 10: Brady filed a retirement letter Friday, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Another comeback could certainly commence, but this decision will sting the Bucs ahead of free agency. Brady’s $35.1MM in dead money will accelerate onto the Bucs’ 2023 cap. Tampa Bay, which went to the void-years well with Brady again in 2022, will be free of this contract after 2023. But the team is $55MM-plus over the cap presently.

FEBRUARY 1: Exactly a year from the date he initially announced he would retire, Tom Brady again informed the Buccaneers he will walk away from the game. The legendary quarterback said Wednesday morning he will call it quits after 23 seasons (video link).

Although Brady backtracked on his Feb. 1, 2022 decision, he said recently another retirement call would be final. The 45-year-old superstar had already been linked to a few teams as a free agent, but it does not appear he was planning to leave Tampa. For months, Brady had indicated to confidants he would either play a fourth season with the Bucs or walk away, Jeff Darlington of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter). Brady informed Bucs brass at 6am Wednesday he would take the retirement route.

Family considerations will drive Brady’s second retirement decision, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Brady had long set an age-45 season as a goal, and while even that seemed a difficult milestone to hit, the former sixth-round Patriots draft choice got there and did so without displaying a significant decline. While the decision to unretire in March 2022 produced a wave of headlines and preceded an 8-9 Bucs season — one that ended with a blowout wild-card loss to the Cowboys — Brady still broke his own single-season NFL record for completions. The enduring great has just about every other passing standard on his resume, one that will be difficult for future quarterbacks to eclipse.

Last year’s retirement decision did not emerge from Brady himself, but rather from reports indicating he was departing after two Bucs seasons. Brady subsequently made a retirement announcement. Given Brady’s unmatched career and relentless desire to succeed on the field, even this exit cannot completely be labeled his definitive NFL walk-off. But the seven-time Super Bowl champion did add “for good” to his brief address this time.

“I’m retiring for good. I know the process was a pretty big deal last time, so when I woke up this morning I figured I’d just press record and let you guys know first,” Brady said. “So I won’t be long-winded. I think you only get one super-emotional retirement essay, and I used mine up last year.”

A recent Darlington report (video link) indicated two teams were looking into Brady as a free agent. He was set to hit the market for a second time in March. A Josh McDaniels reunion with the Raiders came up weeks ago, and speculation of Brady wrapping his career with his hometown 49ers intensified following Brock Purdy‘s UCL tear. The fact that teams were investigating Brady to be their starter in what would have been an age-46 season illustrates the staggering endurance the former Patriots cornerstone showed. The Michigan alum’s place as the greatest NFL player ever can be debated, but he displayed preposterous longevity that allowed for considerable distance to form between he and his peers in the record book.

Brady’s 89,214 career passing yards lead the field by more than 8,000; his 649 touchdown passes are 78 more than Drew Brees‘ second-place total. Playing in an astonishing 48 playoff games, Brady threw 88 postseason TD passes as well. He finished his career as a three-time MVP and five-time Super Bowl MVP. The last of those Super Bowl honors came for the Bucs two seasons ago, when his two-year, $50MM contract produced an immediate turnaround in Tampa. Brady then signed an extension, adding the 2022 season to his deal. Rather than attempt to walk away on a higher note, Brady following a tumultuous season with another retirement announcement will prompt a second Bucs quarterback search in two years.

Following Brady’s unretirement, the Bucs attempted to reload again. Prior to Brady’s third Tampa Bay season, however, steady reports of Miami connections emerged. The NFL then sanctioned the Dolphins for tampering for their effort to try and secure a Brady-Sean Payton alliance. The Dolphins are without a 2023 first-round pick and a 2024 third-rounder as a result. Bruce Arians surprised most with his latest retirement — a March move many connected to a Brady power play — days after the Bucs learned their quarterback was staying. While Arians shot down that notion on multiple occasions, Brady headlines kept coming. Several weeks after Brady’s divorce from wife Gisele Bundchen became official, Darlington revealed the ageless signal-caller played the 2022 season down 15 pounds from his usual playing weight.

Brady left Bucs training camp, staying away from the team for more than a week. While he returned to the team and powered the Bucs to another NFC South title, this Tampa Bay edition fell from second to 25th offensively and rarely found the form it displayed during the previous two seasons. Todd Bowles fired offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich last month, after both Bowles and Brady voiced issues about the state of the offense, and the team continues to search for the four-year play-caller’s successor.

Like Peyton Manning‘s Broncos stay, Brady’s Bucs years tacked on considerable legacy points. But Brady will obviously be best remembered for his Patriots stay. After Drew Bledsoe’s injury in Week 2 of the 2001 season thrust Brady into action, he remained in place as New England’s starter through the 2019 season. Brady led the Patriots to six Super Bowl titles and formed an unrivaled partnership with Bill Belichick. While the future Hall of Fame coach’s defenses drove the first batch of Pats titles, Brady was in place as the team’s centerpiece for the next six Super Bowls for which it qualified.

The No. 199 overall pick in 2000, Brady is without question the greatest draft choice in NFL history. The Pats were able to extend their dynasty for nearly two decades, reloading around Brady for a second run of Super Bowl titles midway through the 2010s. That period peaked with a 25-point comeback win over the Falcons in Super Bowl LI, which gave Brady more championships than any other passer in the Super Bowl era.

After Belichick and Robert Kraft‘s reported disagreement on Jimmy Garoppolo led to the then-backup’s 2017 move to San Francisco at the trade deadline, Brady continued to move the boundaries at his position. He quarterbacked the Pats to two more Super Bowls, winning the latter, before a final contract agreement in 2019. That pact prevented the team from franchise-tagging its quarterback, and rather than Brady agreeing to a ninth contract with the team, he hit free agency. Numerous teams showed interest in 2020, but Brady decided on the Bucs over the Chargers that year. Tampa Bay voyaged to its second Super Bowl — a 31-9 romp over Kansas City — after Brady paired with a strong Bucs defensive nucleus to provide an upgrade on Jameis Winston to elevate his new team.

The Bucs’ next QB search figures to be a less flashy process. The team is more than $55MM over the $224.8MM salary cap, and the bills from the void years it utilized to bolster the roster during the Brady run are coming. Brady can help the team by re-signing for procedural purposes; that would allow the Bucs to spread out a $35.1MM dead-money hit over two years and create $24MM in cap space for 2023. Of course, Brady doing that, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk notes, would affect his ability to unretire and sign elsewhere. Brady was connected to other teams during his brief 2022 retirement, but the then-Arians-led Bucs refused to trade his rights during that period.

Bowles already informed Bucs coaches the team was unlikely to be especially active on the market, but the team will now need to replace its quarterback. Entering the mid-February Derek Carr market may now become a consideration, while pursuing Garoppolo — which would make for an apt Brady succession strategy — would also make sense.

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