As free agency approaches, the chatter about Tom Brady possibly leaving the New England Patriots for the Tennessee Titans continues to ramp up.
The latest example of this came during an interview with ESPN’s Adam Schefter on the Rich Eisen Show.
When asked about where Brady could land this offseason, Schefter pointed out how fellow ESPN reporter, Jeff Darlington, believes that the Titans are the favorite to land the future Hall of Fame quarterback.
Until we actually see the Titans sign Brady, retaining Ryan Tannehill seems like the most likely scenario for Tennessee.
Brady coming to the Titans is still an intriguing proposition nonetheless, and there’s a natural connection between he and the Titans, as Brady was once teammates with Tennessee’s head coach, Mike Vrabel.
So, what are some of the reasons for and against the Titans making such a big move during the offseason?
Let’s take a look.
Against: Continuity
One of the biggest points of emphasis that the Titans’ head coach preaches is continuity. In fact, it’s a big reason why Vrabel decided not to name a new defensive coordinator, as opposed to bringing one in from the outside.
Signing Brady would be the exact opposite of continuity. The Titans’ offense would now have to restart with a new quarterback under center one season after the team was incredibly successful with Tannehill and finished just one game away from the Super Bowl.
With Tennessee knocking on the door of being a true contender, making a change at the most important position in the NFL would be a huge risk.
For: Championship pedigree
After an improbable run through the playoffs, the Titans proved they were better than just a regular 9-7 team.
En route to the AFC Championship Game, Tennessee took out two contenders in the Baltimore Ravens and New England Patriots, showing that this team can realistically take that next step in 2020.
If there was ever a quarterback who could get the Titans over the hump, it’s Brady, who has made an astounding nine appearances in the big game, with six Super Bowl rings to show for it.
Brady is no stranger to the biggest stage in sports, and there are few quarterbacks in the history of the NFL who have answered the bell like he has.
Against: Potential decline
Brady is coming off one of his worst seasons as a pro in 2019.
He needed 613 attempts to break the 4,000-yard mark, and he averaged just 6.6 yards per attempt, the second-lowest mark of his career as a starter. That’s a big drop off from Tannehill, whose 9.6 yards per attempt led the league.
Brady’s completion percentage and passer rating also left a lot to be desired at 60.8 percent and 88.0, respectively, both the lowest marks he has totaled since 2013. To compare, Tannehill completed 70.3 percent of his passes and finished with a passer rating of 117.5, ranking No. 3 and No. 1 in the NFL, respectively.
It’s fair to point out that Brady’s supporting cast wasn’t good, from his receivers to the offensive line, and he really didn’t have much support from the run game, as evidenced by the Pats’ No. 18 rushing attack.
But it’s also fair to wonder if Brady, who will be 43 when the 2020 season begins, is in the midst of a decline at his advanced age — and that decline could lead to him actually being a downgrade from Tannehill.
For: A good fit
If Brady were to come to Nashville, he’d easily have a better supporting cast than the one he played with in New England last season, and the Titans’ offense would no doubt be a good fit with Brady’s strengths.
The future Hall of Famer would have the support of a dominant back should Tennessee re-sign Derrick Henry, and he would be able to thrive off of play action much like Tannehill did in 2019.
Brady would have a slew of weapons to throw to, also. He’d have two solid pass-catching tight ends like Jonnu Smith and Anthony Firkser, a top-notch slot receiver in Adam Humphries, and a big play threat in A.J. Brown.
With options like that, Brady could live in the short to intermediate passing game, while also being able to take an occasional shot down the field.
On top of those weapons, the Titans’ offensive line would remain intact once either Jack Conklin or Dennis Kelly are brought back, and that same group upfront made great strides in pass protection as 2019 progressed.
As long as Brady still has something left in the tank, there’s no reason why he couldn’t succeed in the Titans’ offense.
Against: A temporary solution
As we already mentioned, age is a big factor in the decision to bring Brady aboard. No matter what Brady says, there’s simply no telling when he’ll hang up his cleats and the only thing that’s guaranteed is next season.
The Titans have been looking for a stable solution under center since the days of Steve McNair, and while Marcus Mariota once looked like that guy, he ultimately flamed out in Tennessee.
Tennessee finally got consistent play out of the quarterback position after lucking into Tannehill, and at the age of 31 (32 in July) he has the potential to shore up the position for at least the next three to four years.
At best, the Titans are probably getting two years out of Brady, and after that the franchise will be forced to find its next quarterback.
Bottom line: signing Brady means the Titans will be back to the drawing board at quarterback sooner rather than later.
