NFL Rumors: Las Vegas Raiders Could Target Tom Brady

With their benching of franchise passer Derek Carr earlier this week, the Las Vegas Raiders declared themselves buyers in the 2023 free-agency quarterback market. The Athletic's Jeff Howe posits the Raiders may be interested in none other than Tom Brady, aka the GOAT.

The Raiders essentially just declared they’re open for business in the quarterback market this offseason.

A union between Tom Brady and Las Vegas makes far too much sense, @JeffPHowe writes.

Read: https://t.co/WDhmGhft9N pic.twitter.com/jjmQC64dpu
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) December 29, 2022

Brady is set to hit unrestricted free agency this offseason and is ineligible for the franchise tag. UFC President Dana White broke the news earlier this year that Brady and Gronk nearly signed with the Raiders in 2020. Brady also has a relationship with Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels, who served as offensive coordinator for the Patriots from 2006 to 2008 and then again from 2012 to 2021. McDaniels was also an assistant on the team from 2001 to 2005. All in all, the duo won six Super Bowls and a pair of MVPs together.

All that certainly works in the Raiders' favor, but there remains the distinct possibility that they simply won't present an enticing enough opportunity for Brady. They're 6-9 with the 12th-ranked scoring offense this year, and whatever upgrade Brady provides over Carr (if any) may not be enough to suddenly morph the team into a contender. Plus, if Brady's relationship with McDaniels was a huge selling point, he could have stayed with him in New England. He didn't. He took his talents to Tampa Bay.

After slogging through a 7-8 season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that has seen the team score a paltry 17.7 points per game, Brady is likely looking to link up with a sure thing, or as sure a thing that will have him. Unless trading away Carr can land them some assets that would radically transform the team, the Raiders don't have the look of a contender. Even with Brady.