The Big Lead

Why the Raiders Shouldn't Go After Tom Brady

By William Pitts

Wild Card Round - Tennessee Titans v New England Patriots
Wild Card Round - Tennessee Titans v New England Patriots / Maddie Meyer/Getty Images
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Throw another name into the running for Tom Brady.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Raiders, ready to move into their new stadium in Las Vegas, will pursue six-time Super Bowl champion quarterback Tom Brady in free agency if he does not re-sign with the New England Patriots this offseason.

The Brady-to-Vegas idea gained credibility after rumors surfaced that Brady purchased real estate in Nevada, as well as sightings of Brady and Raiders owner Mark Davis side-by-side at a UFC event at Las Vegas' T-Mobile Arena.

However, it's fair to ask - if the Raiders do somehow sign Brady, what exactly do the Raiders expect to get out of him? A Super Bowl win? Doubtful.

If the lack of offensive weapons is part of the reason for Brady's potential departure from the Patriots, he wouldn't exactly find relief in Vegas. The best offensive weapon that Derek Carr had at his disposal in 2019 was tight end Darren Waller, the only receiver with over 50 catches or 700 yards (he had 90 and 1,145 of each).

When a tight end represents the bulk of passing targets, that doesn't say much for the rest of the receiving corps.

Of course, an investment in Brady, even for a one-year rental, would hamper the Raiders' ability to sign any help for him. The Raiders are still nursing Derek Carr's five-year, $125 million contract, which was signed before the 2017 season, and the Patriots are rumored to offer at least $30 million per year to lure Brady back.

All indications are that Jon Gruden is ready to move on from Carr, but there are better long-term solutions ahead in the 2020 NFL Draft. While Joe Burrow will be out of the Raiders' reach, they will still be in play for Alabama's Tua Tagovailoa, Oregon's Justin Herbert or Utah State's Jordan Love, all of whom have more upside and potential for long-term success than Brady, who has upwards of one or two years left in his body.

All the Raiders can hope to achieve by acquiring Brady is using him as a billboard to promote their newly-relocated team - and you can get a billboard for much less than $30 million.