The Jets and their fans are no strangers to ridiculous ideas being tossed around, but the notion that Tom Brady is going to join the team this offseason takes the cake as the most ridiculous of all.
Brady’s contract with the Patriots is up and it remains to be seen if he will remain in New England following its early playoff exit last season. The Raiders, Chargers and Panthers have been linked to the legendary signal caller and all three teams have legitimate reasons to be considered contenders for Brady’s services.
The Jets? Not so much.
Oddshark’s latest “Where Will Tom Brady Play in 2020” odds reflect this. New York is +2500 to land Brady, making it the 15th most-likely team to sign the 42-year-old in free agency.
With Sam Darnold entrenched as the Jets’ future under center, there is absolutely no reason why Brady donning the green and white at any point in the near future should be given any consideration. New York is all in with Darnold, even if it’s not 100 percent certain he is the guy who will lead Gang Green to the promised land just yet.
Going with a veteran quarterback on his last legs in favor of a young, promising passer goes against everything first-year general manager Joe Douglas is trying to build at One Jets Drive. Yes, New York could be in a position to contend with the addition of a couple of more pieces in free agency, but Douglas is trying to get younger across the board. He wants to build the foundation of this team through the draft and around young talent like Darnold.
The Jets shouldn’t bother entertaining the idea of bringing Brady on board. It’s safe to assume Douglas and company have not given this ludicrous idea any thought. As good as Brady is, he is not a fit with the organization at this point in his career. Besides, he would want to go to more of a surefire contender if he’s going to leave New England.
If this conversation was being had a decade ago, the Jets would probably be clearing salary cap space to bring Brady to the Big Apple as we speak. That is not the reality we live in, though. Darnold is the quarterback the Jets are going to ride or die with. Not a 42-year-old who is on his last legs in the league.