The Brady watch
Where will free-agent Tom end up playing?
NFL free agency is going to explode Monday at noon when the league’s legal tampering window opens for teams and agents to negotiate.
Football’s business will build to it starting on Saturday, when the players could pass the new collective bargaining agreement. And that will give way to the franchise tag window running all the way up until the second the negotiation period opens.
Hovering over it all, though, of course, is the international coronavirus pandemic and its potential ramifications for the NFL, even though the league isn’t in-season. So let’s start with an update there before getting into the meat of the mailbag.
As always, we pull our questions from readers submitted on Twitter (@PLeonardNYDN), Instagram (@patleonard_nfl) and email (pleonard@nydailynews.com).
Where do you think Tom Brady goes? Could he really end up in Tampa Bay?
- Question from John S. via email
Wednesday’s Tampa Bay Times report that the Buccaneers are going “all in” on Brady in free agency made sense to me because I know the Bucs are tired of Jameis Winston’s turnovers (30 interceptions in 2019!) and prepared to move on. They think they can be competitive in 2020 if they have a QB who protects the ball better. For this same reason, I don’t think Philip Rivers is a fit. He threw the ball up for grabs often with the Chargers last season (20 INTs).
Maybe the loose Bruce Arians, who wants to push the ball down the field in Tampa, would be too different from Bill Belichick and Josh McDaniels as an offensive head coach for Brady to find a fit. But I do agree with the Bucs being aggressive to upgrade at quarterback, and it’s not impossible Brady would say yes (he’d be throwing to Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, after all).
That said, my money is still on Brady remaining in New England. While there has been a ton of noise about the Titans, 49ers, Chargers,
Raiders and Bucs, I think McDaniels’ presence, consistency in scheme, and Patriots talent upgrades will lure him back. There just hasn’t been anything concrete yet to demonstrate Brady is committed to leaving, either. But it will be fascinating to watch. And in Tampa, keep an eye on Teddy Bridgewater for the Bucs.
Do you think Bryan Bulaga could be a target at RT in free agency? And how interested are we in (Joe) Schobert and (Cory) Littleton?
- Question from @GiantsVidal1027 on Twitter
The Giants are not going to compete in bidding wars for every top free agent, even though they have a lot of money and needs. Dave Gettleman must decide where he’ll go all-out for the No. 1 free agent and where he’ll wait and spend more reasonably on a top-five or 10 guy.
Based on Gettleman’s history, I think it’s the GM ideally would prioritize signing the top right tackle on the market, the Titans’ Jack Conklin, 25, over the top inside linebacker, the Rams’ Littleton, 26. Then maybe he would land the Browns’ Schobert, a solid player who is considered a tier below Littleton.
The Giants certainly are interested in Littleton, though, and it wouldn’t surprise me if they signed him based on their huge need at that position. Especially if they can’t land a player like Conklin at right tackle, then those resources can be transferred to and well spent on a LB.
As for the Packers’ Bulaga, 30, he’s a great player but I think he’s a better fit for a team competing for a championship rather than rebuilding. From the Giants’ perspective, too, Conklin is five years younger with only 57 regular season starts on his tires compared to Bulaga’s 111. Conklin also is a great run blocker who just helped pace a runheavy Titans offense that the Giants would love to emulate. If Gettleman is spending more than $10 million on a tackle, it won’t be Bulaga, in my mind. It would be Conklin. And remember: he could draft one, too.
Does the new brain trust like the direction this team is going with Daniel Jones, or is the path forward with someone different under center?
- Question from @JonGaled on Twitter
Joe Judge and the Giants believe Daniel Jones is their guy. The plan is to have him under center for a long time. But also, a lot will ride on whether Jones improves and cleans up his turnovers in year two, in my opinion. To say it another way, he is their franchise quarterback right now, but Judge has not closed the door on bringing in competition to steal that title from Jones if he leaves any doubt in 2020. Again, my opinion.
How come franchise tagging and then trading Leonard Williams is rarely discussed. Wouldn’t he be able to fetch a third or fourth-rounder?
- Question from @jay7852 on Twitter
Because there is no guarantee yet even that the Giants feel it would be worth it to pay Williams $12-15 million for one season on the tag. That’s what they would have to do if they tagged him and couldn’t swing a trade. So yes, it’s an option, but their money might be spent better by letting him walk and using that $12-15 million elsewhere in free agency.
Is the Giants’ next starting center coming from FA or draft?
- Question from @BenSpitalny on Twitter
I think they draft one. Keep an eye on Michigan’s Cesar Ruiz. Was told they are very high on him. But also in free agency watch for the Patriots’ Ted Karras, who filled in for David Andrews last season snapping to Tom Brady.