The season isn’t over, but it already feels like Tom Brady will not be back with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers next year.
Brady and the Bucs entered this season as one of the main Super Bowl favorites, but they’ve instead been among football’s biggest disappointments this year. Sunday’s 34-23 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals dropped Tampa to 6-8 on the year with three games to go.
The 45-year-old Brady hasn’t yet announced if he plans to play football in 2023 or retire for good. His contract with the Buccaneers will expire after this season, so if he decides to continue playing, Brady would be able to choose a new team via free agency.
If Brady decides to take his talents elsewhere in 2023, where will he land? There are several teams that immediately stick out as potential suitors — including the Las Vegas Raiders — who are coached by his former New England Patriots offensive coordinator in Josh McDaniels.
In fact, popular sports personality Pat McAfee is already declaring that Brady will be a Raider in 2023. The former NFL punter and part-time WWE superstar explained why he thinks it’ll happen during the latest edition of “The Pat McAfee Show” (transcriptions via Madison Williams of Sports Illustrated):
“Tom Brady’s about to be a free agent. Tom Brady’s going to Las Vegas next year—is that what everybody’s just assuming? The dead cap for Derek Carr if he gets cut by the Las Vegas Raiders is $5 million…I think the writing is on the wall.”
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The awful offensive line, unproductive rushing game and apparent friction with Bucs offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich could be factors in Brady’s decision to seek a new home in 2023, and there are reasons to think the Raiders would appeal to him.
Not only are the Raiders coached by McDaniels, but they’re loaded with skill position playmakers on offense in Davante Adams, Josh Jacobs, Hunter Renfrow and Darren Waller. Throw in Brady’s familiarity in a McDaniels-coached offense, and he just might find it too difficult to pass up, should the Raiders offer him a contract.
For now, Brady and the Bucs need to stay focused on wrapping up the NFC South title that would at least guarantee them one home playoff game.
