Shared from the 3/11/2020 The Providence Journal eEdition

If not here, where will Brady play in 2020?

A look at 5 places that might make sense for the future Hall-of-Fame quarterback

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Tom Brady has worn the Patriots’ red, white and blue for 20 years. Will that change this coming season? [THE PROVIDENCE JOURNAL, FILE / KRIS CRAIG]

It’s hard to picture Tom Brady in a different uniform.

Can you imagine him wearing a baby blue jersey? What about all black? How strange would it be to see Brady in a different helmet? How about one with a red pirate flag on it?

It’s weird, but as everyone knows by now, it’s a realistic possibility. With free agency set to begin next week, there’s a chance that Brady will leave the Patriots and put on another uniform for the first time in his 21-year career. We’ve heard plenty of speculation about Brady’s next move, but no one really knows until the quarterback signs on the dotted line.

There’s a good case to be made that the Patriots are his best option. There’s history, comfort and coaches that Brady’s worked with for most of his career. But if he does leave, what’s his best option?

Here are five teams that could interest Brady next week:

Tennessee Titans

If Brady is going to leave the Patriots, our guess is he’ll go to Tennessee. Head coach Mike Vrabel and Brady are friends. Could they coexist as quarterback and coach? Probably.

The Titans are on the upswing, but have some question marks. They need to bring back running back Derrick Henry, who’s a free agent. Do their other weapons match Brady’s desires? A.J. Brown (1,051 yards) is coming off a fantastic season, but it’s unknown how a young receiver would mesh with Brady. As we know, it doesn’t always happen. After Brown, there’s tight end Jonnu Smith and receivers Corey Davis and Adam Humphries.

Adding Antonio Brown to this mix would certainly be appealing for Brady.

Los Angeles Chargers

The Chargers have the weapons, but they’re coming off a 5-11 season. They’re also in the AFC West with the Kansas City Chiefs. That’s tough for anyone. Does Brady want to end his career in the same division chasing Patrick Mahomes?

But Brady could certainly build his TB12 brand in Los Angeles. He’d also have fun throwing to receivers Keenan Allen (1,199 yards) and Mike Williams (1,001 yards), running back Austin Ekeler (993 receiving yards) and tight end Hunter Henry (652 yards), who’s a free agent but is expected to be back in L.A.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Of every team rumored to be interested in Brady, the Buccaneers would make for the strangest landing spot. Can anyone really imagine Brady in that uniform and helmet?

Tampa Bay hasn’t been over .500 since 2016. They were 7-9 last season. However, there are a couple of things to like about the Bucs. For one, head coach Bruce Arians is said to be very quarterback friendly and hearing his quarterback’s input for the game plan. There’s also the two star receivers — Chris Godwin (1,333 yards) and Mike Evans (1,157 yards). Tampa Bay also has two solid tight ends in O.J. Howard and Cameron Brate.

San Francisco 49ers

The wildest rumor this offseason has involved the 49ers. On paper, it makes little sense since San Francisco has 28-year-old Jimmy Garoppolo. Jimmy G just led the 49ers to the Super Bowl. He did fold late in the fourth quarter and there are some questions as to whether head coach Kyle Shanahan truly trusts Garoppolo.

The 49ers have an elite defense and they’re ready to win now. They have a star tight end in George Kittle (1,053 yards) and a very good younger receiver in Deebo Samuel (802 yards). They could also bring back veteran receiver Emmanuel Sanders.

If the 49ers are interested in Brady, it’s a no-brainer for the quarterback, who would return home to finish out his career.

Dallas Cowboys

We’ve heard rumors about the Las Vegas Raiders, Chicago Bears, Denver Broncos and Indianapolis Colts. The Cowboys, however, are the biggest wildcard in this Brady pursuit. They want to bring back quarterback Dak Prescott, but have been negotiating on and off since last fall. Prescott wants historic money and has reportedly turned down an offer for over $33 million per season.

In this hypothetical scenario, the Cowboys would franchise Prescott and trade him before signing Brady. Never count out Dallas owner Jerry Jones. He’s the ultimate wildcard.

The Cowboys could bring back Amari Cooper (1,189 yards) to pair with Michael Gallup (1,107) and running back Ezekiel Elliott. That would certainly make Brady happy.

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