Tom Brady is not ‘lightning in a bottle’ for the Raiders

Tom Brady speculation grew in Las Vegas after CBS Sports’ NFL Insider Jonathan Jones reported the Raiders plan to “aggressively pursue” Brady in free agency. However, courting Brady prevents the franchise from developing a long-term strategy. 

“We are trying to build a consistent winner and not just try and catch lightning in a bottle,” Raiders general manager Dave Ziegler recently told Vic Tafur of The Athletic.

Tafur doesn’t understand the pursuit of Brady, writing trying to land him “is the very definition of lighting in a bottle” because he turns 46 in August and has an unclear future. 

Brady is a seven-time Super Bowl champion, but he fell short of his lofty standards in 2022, indicating a possible decline. His passing touchdown total fell to 25 —his lowest since 2019— and he posted a career-low 52.5 QBR in 17 starts. 

These are similar numbers to Raiders nine-year starting QB Derek Carr, who they benched after Week 16 and will likely be traded or released this offseason. He threw 24 TDs and posted a 55.6 QBR in 15 starts. 

If Brady doesn’t see an uptick next season, he’s not an upgrade at this point in his career.   

Also, Brady may retire before next season. He avoided giving a timetable for his return after a 31-14 loss to Dallas in the wild-card round on Monday, per ESPN’s Jenna Laine. 

Since Brady possibly crossed the rubicon, he may not be a piece you can rebuild a franchise around. 

The Raiders need a renovation. Las Vegas ranked 26th in total defense this season and has only made the playoffs twice since 2002.

The Raiders must diligently address these issues to become a perennial contender, not seek an immediate fix like Brady.