New England Patriots: Teams left in the Tom Brady sweepstakes dwindling

The New England Patriots could retain Tom Brady after all as the number of teams interested in the star quarterback is dwindling.

What was once a handful of possible new landing spots for the soon to be New England Patriots free agent quarterback Tom Brady is finally dwindling down to only just a few potential candidates.

What is next to come for Brady is entirely up to him, as he is in sole control of his future.

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We all thought that due to the close relationship between Brady and Mike Vrabel that the Tennessee Titans were a team in play to make an offer to the six-time Super Bowl winning quarterback. It was poised to be a great situation for a 43-year-old Brady to fall into.

But now all that speculation can finally be laid to rest, as the Titans have agreed to a four-year contract with Ryan Tannehill that is worth $118 million, making him the new centerpiece to an already explosive Titans offense.

The Los Angeles Chargers are put in a unique situation, as they have parted ways with their long time franchise quarterback, Philip Rivers, after 15 seasons and currently hold the sixth overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft. The Chargers could be an ideal landing spot for anyone, including Brady.

What is appealing about the Chargers is that they secured their franchise tight end, Hunter Henry, and also their dynamic running back, Austin Ekeler, during the offseason. Henry and Eckler are exactly the type of weapons that Brady knows he can excel with, along with the option of throwing down the field to receivers like Mike Williams and Keenan Allen.

The Las Vegas Raiders are another team that is still etched in the Brady race. Brady could look to join a powerful offense that includes running back Josh Jacobs and tight end Darren Waller, who both displayed promising signs of being elite last season. Not to forget the Raiders do have over $ 50 million in additional cap space this offseason.

Looking ahead, the Raiders hold two first-round picks in this year’s draft (12th and 19th overall) and are expected to at least take one of the top wide receivers in the draft. The Raiders have a lot of great things ahead of them, including opening a new stadium, that Brady could potentially help with. With a coach in Jon Gruden who is eager to win it all right now, the Raiders could make a strong push for the services of Brady.

The other potential landing spot that has been linked to Brady is the Bruce Arians led Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Buccaneers are by far the most exciting team that is in the hunt to sign the future Hall of Fame quarterback, as Jameis Winston is finding himself on the verge of being ousted.

The Buccaneers are a team with plenty of playmaking ability. Unfortunately, Winston is a turnover machine throwing a league high 88 interceptions since entering the NFL in 2015. That’s just completely unacceptable considering the weaponry of Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and OJ Howard.

On top of a great offensive roster, the Buccaneers probably have the highest salary cap out of the teams still interested in signing Brady. The Buccaneers are estimated to have $ 84 million available in their cap and are considered to have one of the highest in the league. Brady would most definitely be an upgrade for the entire franchise.

Last but certainly not least, the New England Patriots. Believe it or not, the Patriots still hold leverage over the Brady situation. The team that Brady has cemented his legacy with, spent his entire 20 year career with, and won six Super Bowls with isn’t just all of a sudden meaningless to Brady. Despite what many people think, this is probably Brady’s most preferred place to be and finish out his legendary career.

It’s becoming more evident that it’s also in the New England Patriots best interest to try and retain Brady for the duration of his career. The offensive system that the Pats run is designed the way Brady wants it and it’s not going to be easy for anyone to just step into and take over. It’s important to remember that Brady wants respect and appreciation over money from the Patriots.

Regardless of how this situation plays out, the New England Patriots need to seriously start thinking of the future of their franchise and start preparing for what life will be without the greatest of all time, Tom Brady.