As teams across the league drop out of the Tom Brady sweepstakes, it appears he and the Patriots are not close to a deal either.
On Sunday, it was reported the 49ers are out and with Tennessee signing Ryan Tannehill, it is as well. The potential suitors for Brady are shrinking, and it's not like things have changed between he and the Patriots.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Brady and the Patriots are not close to a deal. But, he did mention teams "laying in wait" will now get their shot at him as a free agent. It's just a question of who exactly those teams are?
"We're in the middle of March, we are about to embark on free agency, and Tom Brady does not have anything close to a deal in New England," he said Sunday on ESPN. "I know people think he's going back to New England — what makes them think that? Why would they think that now when this has been going on since he put the motion into place where basically he voided the contract. There haven't been any substantial contract negotiations. There hasn't been anything that resembles a deal. Why do people think now that all of a sudden, at the 24th hour, something is going to get done that hasn't gotten done in previous weeks and months? I don't understand that.
"And all these teams now that have been laying in wait, all are going to have their crack and chance at Tom Brady. I know he's going to be 43, and I know he's not as young as he used to be, but he still is the greatest quarterback of all time and other teams for the first time in his career are going to be allowed to talk to him and try and persuade him to leave New England. I think there's a real chance somebody is going to be able to do that."
Teams potentially still in the mix are the Chargers, Raiders and Buccaneers, as well as possibly the Cowboys and Colts.
"Tom Brady does not have anything close to a deal in New England yet." @AdamSchefter gives us the latest as NFL free agency approaches. pic.twitter.com/yJxd91Y6DK
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) March 16, 2020
