Could this be the year that Tom Brady officially walks away from the NFL? He tried out retirement earlier this year but decided against it, returning to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for what has been an underwhelming season. With NFL free agency looming for Brady, could a team like the Tennessee Titans end up being an option?
Brady can still play at a high level when taking into account that he is 45 years old, but the Buccaneers have struggled mightily as a team. Tampa Bay is barely holding onto its lead in the NFC South, as they are in first place at 6-8 with the Carolina Panthers, Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints all tied at 5-9 behind them.
Given their overall struggles, it is easy to see Brady leaving this offseason, whether it is to a new team in free agency or into the sunset of retirement. There are plenty of contending teams that would take a shot on him should the opportunity arise.
Over at Bleacher Report, some early quarterback predictions for the offseason were made by David Kenyon. He believes Brady will continue his playing career and it won’t be with the Buccaneers. Instead, he will move on and play for the Tennessee Titans.
“Tom Brady makes the biggest splash and signs with the Titans, who are coached by former Pats assistant Mike Vrabel. Tennessee takes the home-run swing because it gives Willis a chance to learn from Brady and increase his likelihood of being the replacement.”
There are plenty of rumors swirling that the Titans are going to move on from their current starter, Ryan Tannehill, this offseason. In the same piece, Kenyon predicts that Tannehill will end up with the Saints, who have a big need at the quarterback position as well.
For Brady, Tennessee offers him a lot of what he is looking for in a team. He can elevate an offense that has intriguing pass-catching weapons in Treylon Burks, Robert Woods and tight end Chigoziem Okonkwo. Derrick Henry remains arguably the best pure running back in the NFL, providing Brady with a running game to rely on.
But, there are real concerns about that offensive line. Tom Brady does mitigate some of those issues with how quickly he releases the ball, but this unit does need some work. The future Hall of Famer would also provide the team with an excellent mentor for Malik Willis to learn from if the Titans feel he can one day take over the starting job.
