Were the Raiders really in the running for Tom Brady?
According to NBC Sport’s Peter King, there was minimal interest from the Raiders in Brady, particularly on the part of Jon Gruden.
“Jon Gruden at the scouting combine basically made it pretty clear [the Raiders] would not be chasing Brady and they would not be inflating the bid for Brady,” King said on WEEI’s Dale & Keefe Show on Thursday.
“I think some of this had to do with, and let me put it to you this way, somebody with a team that I called about two weeks ago and just asked, ‘Are you guys interested or not interested?’ This guy said, ‘Some people in our building are interested, the problem is others are trying to talk them out of it because a year from now we might be in a really difficult situation at quarterback because we took a one or two-year shot at Tom Brady.’”
So how much interest did Tom Brady really have from teams in free agency?
Apparently not a lot. According to King, much of the “interest” around the league was probably drummed up by Brady’s agent over the past few months.
“I think Don Yee, being the good agent that he is, tried to get other teams interested, and couldn’t,” King said. “Maybe some other teams did get interested at some point, but I know that all the usual suspects they called and they tried to get interest in Tom. Maybe some of them did and talked to them.”
If King is correct in his assessment, it’s an important reminder that even the most respected insiders in football are often compromised by agents and relationships around the league.
How many times in the last two weeks did Adam Schefter talk about the massive interest around the league in Brady?
Going back to October, it was Schefter who started the conjecture that Brady might leave New England (at the instruction of Brady’s agent?) and it was Schefter who linked the Raiders to Brady back in the first week of February. It was Schefter who carried the torch for Brady’s agent after the Titans and 49ers distanced themselves from Brady and Schefter who last week painted the rosy picture of multiple teams lurking to sign the soon-to-be 43 year-old quarterback a week ago.
In other words, we were probably dished out a lot of fake news over the last six months… and that’s before we consider the storylines surrounding Derek Carr, who The Athletic’s Mike Lombardi recently said had “no future” in Las Vegas (because Gruden didn’t like him).
In fact, Lombardi and CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora have been screaming that the Raiders were going to dump Carr for the past two years.
Maybe it’s time for their readers to consider dumping them.
twitter: @raidersbeat
I hope the “Carrbage” crowd goes away and root for any of the other teams that don’t have him. As for me, I like my QB.
Agreed. So tired of the Carr bashing. Id take him over 85% of the Qbs out there.
👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾 #DC4
#RN4L
i hope when Carr isn’t on the raiders that you and the rest of the Carr-i (cry) Babies find another team. Losers
Bring in Philip Walker for competition!
Really nice write-up. Keep up the good work!
I agree they should dump them to I never believed that the Raiders are going to get rid of Carr he’s too good just to let walk… Like I’ve been saying all along we need a speedy wideout to help this offense get to the next level how we need defensive help to stop people so we can score
Most of these “Insiders” are so Full of Shiite that it is difficult to believe that they get Paid to Lie like they do… They get their info from People who use them like the Cheap Whores that they are or They Themselves have an Agenda andLie to try and make it work. Lap Dogs at best for Agents, GM’s, Owners, Etc…
Forget all that, Logan Ryan and Melvin Gordon should be tops on the Raiders priorities list now.
Ryan sure I can live with that. But Gordon I’m good on that. Use that money for someone else on the Defense
Melvin Gordon signed with the Donkeys..
Well that’s what I’ve been saying all along, these media hacks make s*** up either on their own or drummed up by agents trying to create buzz for their clients! Now the new spin is Carr getting traded to New England, really? Do these people understand how Belechek operates? He won’t trade for anyone , he’ll most likely see if he can strike lightning twice by either drafting a QB or going with the young dude they have already on their roster and use his cap space to build an awesome defense! Carr2020
This game Brady’s agent has been playing since the fall couldn’t be more obvious. The fact that so many Raider fans were fooled by it, let along ROOTING for it, is sad.
Go Raiders! Go Carr!
Its so funny how people including the media go after Derek Carr. And then all he does is get better and better. He has had 5 different offenses to learn in 6 years. He has had limited targets to work w and until last year no running game to help him. Yet he still is in the top 10 of QBs stat wise. This guy is really good and when we get weapons for him and he gets more and more comfortable in the offense all the nay sayers will be yay sayers. Any team would grab him in a second and when he won multiple Super Bowls w another team The Raiders and their front office along w Gruden would b laughing stocks of the NFL once again. Relax we are in great hands w Carr, Mayock and I hope Gruden.
Stupid *** media ! Hate them ! Especially espn
Adam Shefter did a lot of the dirty work…
Finally a good write up about the Brady BS. Thanks!
ps I doubt the hate towards Carr is going away. Next it’ll be crap about trading 3 picks to get Burrows. Then after the Raiders don’t draft a QB the vortex of bs will focus on Mariota beating Carr out of a job. It never ends with some idiots.
Mike Lombardi as far as I am concerned is the ( Thunderbird wine) of the the Napa valley … Fortified grape juice ,, full of … sour grapes … Coach Al Davis … Found out you were a Rat ! so you Joined ESPN for a cheap story … Now Mike., Enjoy the smell of the Sewer pipes in the Oakland Alameda County … Watch your step … or just keep walking … It will not make much difference !
Look at Carr’s highlights. Dude makes all the throws. He’s conservative. But idk if that’s a bad thing. I watch every game. And when Carr has the ball in his hand, I’m excited. I’ve seen him do some incredible things. Some not so incredible too. When he’s ou there having fun, he’s a killer.
We have our Carr and we are going to drive him to the SB!!