Welcome to the Two-Minute Drill, a roundup of all the (mostly) Patriots-related offseason news you need to start your Thursday. Grab your mochaccino or whatever, and let's boogie...
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For a moment, let's stop guessing about what's going to happen with Tom Brady. For the record, I continue to believe that the chances are better that, at the end of all of it, he returns to the Patriots. But that percentage, in my mind, keeps shrinking.
Let's just say, for this exercise, that he does not return to the Patriots. What's likely to happen at quarterback?
From people that I've talked to, it sounds like the Patriots might very well slow-play the quarterback market (and Mike Lombardi touched on some of this with his podcast).
Why?
Well, economics for starters. The Patriots just don't have that much cap space, and they'll have less should Brady not re-sign with the team by March 18.
The biggest reason: you're going to spend a lot of money to sign ... who exactly that gives you such a great chance to win ... Teddy Bridgewater? Philip Rivers? Ryan Tannehill? Jameis Winston? Marcus Mariota? You're going to trade a draft pick for an Andy Dalton — who's fine and you can win with — and pay him $17.5 million for next season?
None of the above really moves the needle more than the others considering the money involved. And there will not be enough starting jobs available.
These are the other teams that need or could need a starting quarterback in free agency:
Colts (maybe)
Titans
Raiders (if they find better than Derek Carr)
Chargers
Redskins
Buccaneers
Patriots
These teams will likely wait for the draft:
Bengals (Joe Burrow)
Dolphins (could sit out until the draft with Fitzpatrick and Rosen around)
Quarterbacks looking for work:
Tom Brady
Philip Rivers
Ryan Tannehill
Taysom Hill (RFA)
Jameis Winston
Marcus Mariota
Teddy Bridgewater
Cam Newton (under contract)
Andy Dalton (under contract)
Nick Foles (under contract)
Derek Carr (under contract)
Case Keenum
A.J. McCarron
Blake Bortles
Matchmaking teams and players:
Colts — Foles
Titans — Tannehill
Raiders — Carr
Chargers — Brady
Redskins — Bridgewater
Buccaneers — Rivers
That leaves...
Jameis Winston
Marcus Mariota
Andy Dalton (under contract)
Case Keenum
A.J. McCarron
Blake Bortles
There's really no difference in any of these players, except for Dalton, who has by far the most experience and has played winning football. Dalton's possible if it's for a fifth- or a sixth-round pick and the Bengals agree to pick up half his salary. But that's about it.
Winston's not their type of player with all the turnovers. Mariota might get more money elsewhere but would be a good fit.
There's definitely going to be a competitive situation with Jarrett Stidham if the Patriots go this route. The Patriots aren't going to hand Stidham anything — he's going to have to prove it on the field like every other player. Guys like Keenum and McCarron would make a lot of sense for a competition and they'd be cheap.
That makes the most sense from all that I've been told.
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2. So Michael Lombardi, who I know is really good, thinks it's now 20 percent Tom Brady returns to the Patriots because the 49ers are in play ... and there's only a 20 percent chance that happens. I'm pretty confused by that.
3. Patriots officially exercised the option on DB Jason McCourty, according to a league source. I'm not that doesn't mean Devin is definitely back, but that could just be a case of keeping a viable market as part of the leverage game for a fair New England deal.
4. The Packers will be releasing veteran TE Jimmy Graham. While far from his peak, I could see him being an option for the Patriots at a very reduced rate — one that would be cuttable if he stinks in camp — should they not be able to sign or trade for a younger TE.
5. Stefon Diggs must be driving the Vikings crazy ... maybe he's crazy like a fox, like a Randy Moss II.
EXTRA POINT
One of the great linemen of the last decade.
Forever a Raven.
After 13 incredible seasons, Marshal Yanda is calling it a career. pic.twitter.com/rMCIfJZoFm
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) March 10, 2020