Where does high-priced new super star free agent Tom Brady go from here?
There’s probably no bigger question being asked right now as US football heads into that always uncertain pre-season buy and sell time.
This is especially so as there has been no indication that the New England Patriots and Brady, the quarter-back extraordinaire who led them to six Super Bowl titles, are looking to reunite.
To the contrary, there have been more speculative reports about why Brady is expected to leave rather than to stay with the only pro-football team he’s known in his 20 years in the game.
Brady: the latest speculation
Here’s one of the latest:
At a moment in time when the 42-year-old Brady has just launched a Hollywood film company*, Austin Ekeler, a Los Angeles Chargers running back, has told the media his club want and need Brady.
The Chargers have just released long-time quarterback Philip Rivers and Ekeler believes Brady in his place can lead the Chargers to Super Bowl glory
Rivers was released by the Chargers following 16 seasons with the franchise and Ekeler feels Brady perfectly fits the bill to replace him.
“I think it would be amazing to play with Tom Brady,” Ekeler said on NFL Total Access.
“I’ve been playing with Philip and he’s been the GOAT in the Chargers organization for so long. He’s a legend here.
Brady is a football legend
“Then you have Tom Brady on the other side of the country and he’s a legend over there. So if I got to play with (both of) them it would be an amazing opportunity.”
“Here’s why I think it (Brady) would be a good fit,” explained Ekeler who is staying with the Chargers after signing a four-year, $24.5m extension.
“We’ve just lost a lot of leadership in Philip Rivers, right? So it’s like, all right, we have a void t now.
“Also, Russell Okung, one of our tackles, got traded. He was one of our team leaders as well. So there’s a bigger void in leadership right there.
“It’s an opportunity for people to step up, sure, but if you bring a guy like Tom Brady into the room; well he’s been there, he’s done it all before.
“He’s already got the leadership qualities and he’s already proven that he’s a winner. So hey, let’s build something around that, too.”
Brady wants bigger say in roster, play-calling
Ekeler didn’t know it or wasn’t saying it, but Brady dearly wants to have a much bigger say in the next team he signs for.
According to another report this week by Dianna Russini of ESPN, Brady has two big “wants” right now. One is control over roster. The other is to be a key part in making decisions on play calling.
Any team, it seems, that wants to sign Brady the quarterback is also going to have to sign up Brady the general manager. A player asking for any type of control over the roster is virtually unheard of, but in Brady’s case, it could make a lot of sense.
The veteran quarterback has only a few seasons left. He obviously doesn’t want to waste his time with a team that mismanages its roster. By demanding some roster control, Brady will have a big say in the right acquisition of players who can help him win the Super Bowl again
Had Brady had roster control in New England last season, it’s a virtual guarantee that he would have used it to go out and add a few weapons to the Patriots lackluster offense.
Belichick has final say at Patriots
Patriots coach Bill Belichick has had the final say on all roster matters at the Patriots and there’s little chance he’ll now give some to Brady. This may be, perhaps, a big reason why Brady has yet to re-sign with the Patriots.
Brady’s second demand comes as no surprising. His team should welcome Brady wanting a say in play calling. He’s been doing it and doing it successfully for long enough. No one reads a defense quite like Brady can. Most clubs will welcome his input.
Tampa Bay certainly would. “I talked to them, Russini wrote. “And they would love to have Tom Brady. In fact they are willing to give him everything he needs and wants.”
Russini said The Buccaneers make a lot of sense for a lot of reasons. Briefly, they have a lot of offensive weapons, they have a lot of salary cap room to add any piece Brady needs and they have a 67-year-old coach who wants to win now.
Next Super Bowl in Tampa
Also the next Super Bowl is set to be played in Tampa, which would give Brady a chance to do something that no other player has ever done before: Win a Super Bowl in your team’s home stadium.
Looking again at the Chargers, we note they finished bottom of the AFC West. They do, however, have the 12th-most cap space in the NFL.
Furthermore, with Ekeler, Keenan Allen and potentially Hunter Henry coming back, they also possess offensive weapons Bradley would love to have at his disposal
“I feel like we have the pieces to make a run [at the Super Bowl] regardless,” Ekeler insisted.
“The void is there, but it’s going to be filled by somebody. And we’ll have the talent around him, whoever that person is, to make him successful.”
*Brady launches film Production Company
Brady announced Monday that his new film company, 199 Productions, will look to develop original content including documentaries, feature films and television shows.
With his production company, Brady will be teaming with Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame directors Joe and Anthony Russo and the pair’s non-fiction wing at AGBO Films, Wonderburst.
“I’m excited to be working with Joe and Anthony and their team at AGBO Films,” Brady was reported by Deadline.com to have said in a statement.
“I’m humbled to have the opportunity to partner with them to bring Unseen Football to the big screen and tell this story in a way that has never been done before. I believe in the essence of teamwork, and I have no doubt, our team will create the most magical experience for people to enjoy.”
According to Deadline.com, Unseen Football is a 3D adventure documentary that intends to take viewers into the invisible realms of football.
It will be directed by Gotham Chopra, the executive producer of the popular Facebook documentary series, Tom vs. Time that shadowed Brady throughout the 2018 season.