Fortunately, the NFL offseason is corona-proof, which gives us something we can actually talk about that doesn't involve some sort of postponement or cancellation (or speculation about a postponement or cancellation). And it sure gave us plenty to talk about on Tuesday! The free agent wheels started turning, and they were going at a frenetic pace (not unlike everybody's new favorite virus).
The biggest news, of course, is the one that sent shock waves throughout the NFL. After a 20-year marriage that resulted in nine Super Bowl appearances and six championships, Bradicheck is getting divorced!
When Tom Brady first announced that he was going to become a free agent for the first time in his career, there weren't many people who thought he'd actually leave the Patriots. Most of assumed he'd spend his entire career in New England and that he was simply posturing to get a better deal. After all, Brady is on record saying he wants to play until he's 45, and a three-year deal would've gotten him there, after which he could retire and the Patriots could move on.
Even after the grumblings started that he might leave, I still don't think there are too many people who thought he actually would. Bradicheck has always been viewed as a package deal, and most assumed Robert Kraft would do everything in his power to keep that duo together. But, alas, we were wrong! Brady wasn't just posturing. He actually was thinking about New England. Then he confirmed that he was, in fact, leaving with an Instagram post thanking Patriots fans for 20 wonderful years.
Although, now that it's happened, I can see where Brady wanted to step out on his own. He and Belicheck have been intertwined for so long that it's hard to envision one without the other. But that's exactly what Brady wants to try and do. I liken it to LeBron signing with the Lakers. When LeBron went to the Heat, he was obviously chasing a championship. When he signed with the Lakers, that was for himself.
If Brady did leave New England, the most likely destination seemed to be the Chargers. It made sense. He's from California and the Chargers were moving on from Philip Rivers. That was the logical match, so if Brady was going to leave the Patriots, it naturally meant he was going to the Chargers. Right?
Wrong! Brady didn't sign with the Chargers. He signed with...Tampa Bay?! I must say, the Bucs were never on my radar as a potential Brady destination. But he obviously liked what they had to offer. And they have a coach, Bruce Arians, who will give Brady that same sort of autonomy that he enjoyed for so long in New England. He won't be there long enough to win six more Super Bowls. But if he can do what Peyton Manning did and win one last one after changing teams, that would cement his legacy even more.
So, Brady joins Manning, Joe Montana, Joe Namath, Brett Favre and Johnny Unitas on the list of Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks who'll end their Hall of Fame careers in a different uniform. The Jets, Bills and Dolphins, meanwhile, feel like they legitimately have a chance to win the division for the first time in two decades! I'm sure you won't see the rest of the AFC complaining, either!
I also have a feeling that Brady-Brees is going to become the new Brady-Manning rivarly. Because we're now going to be guaranteed two matchups between the two 40-something Canton-bound quarterbacks every season. That's because Brees, who was also a free agent, decided to stay put in New Orleans.
His backup, Teddy Bridgewater didn't, though. Bridgewater's staying in the division with the Panthers. That, obviously, can't make Cam Newton too happy, which is why Carolina has given Newton permission to seek a trade. (You'd have to think Jamies Winston will likely be on the move, as well.) I can think of at least two teams that are in the market for a quarterback! With some others to potentially follow. And you know Belicheck's going to look for his next late-round QB find in the draft (which is still on).
Like I said, there were a ton of quarterbacks on the move the day before free agency even officially got underway! The NFC South is taken care of with Brady in Tampa, Bridgewater in Carolina, Brees staying in New Orleans and, of course, Matt Ryan in Atlanta. Meanwhile, Marcus Mariota goes from backing up Ryan Tannehill in Tennessee to backing up Derek Carr in Las Vegas, where Jason Witten will be one of his targets. As for Rivers, he's headed to Indianapolis (so I guess the Jacoby Brissett Era is over?).
There have been a ton of NFL trades, too, including a pair of big ones involving top wide receivers. DeAndre Hopkins is headed to Arizona, where he'll team with Larry Fitzgerald to give Kyler Murray a pair of deep threats. And the Bills, who could very well be the AFC East favorites now, snagged Stefon Diggs from the Vikings for essentially nothing except for a handful of picks.
That's just the start. The NFL offseason hasn't even gotten into full swing yet. And, with nothing else going on, we'll be paying attention to all of it.
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