Bill Sikes/Associated Press
With plenty of eyes on Tom Brady ahead of free agency, the San Francisco 49ers have emerged as a possible landing spot for the future Pro Football Hall of Famer.
Tom E. Curran of NBC Sports told Adam Schein of Mad Dog Sports on Tuesday that the 49ers are “closing hard” on the quarterback:
Mad Dog Sports Radio @MadDogRadio
ICYMI: @tomecurran tells @AdamSchein he believes the 49ers conversation surrounding Tom Brady is real from both sides https://t.co/5L1bkA7NeK
Curran confirmed that the interest is “real” and coming from both sides, also noting Jimmy Garoppolo could end up back in New England to replace Brady.
Garoppolo is coming off his first full season as a starter in the NFL and thrived with a 102.0 quarterback rating while the Niners finished 13-3. The sixth-year pro out of Eastern Illinois helped guide the team to the Super Bowl before losing to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Despite his success, the 49ers could decide to remove him in favor of a more proven player like Brady.
Though Brady wasn’t at his best in 2019—his 24 touchdowns were his lowest since 2008, while the 52.5 QBR was his worst since that statistic was first tracked in 2006—he’s had a lot of postseason success with a record six Super Bowl titles. San Francisco could hope that Brady, who turns 43 in August, could get the team over the top for a championship in 2020.
Meanwhile, its loaded roster could provide Brady a better chance to win than in New England. The Bay Area native could also enjoy the chance of playing closer to his hometown.
Garoppolo is still under contract through 2022, but the 49ers could trade or release the 28-year-old with only $4.2 million counting against the cap, per Spotrac. The move would save $22.4 million, which would go a long way toward signing Brady.
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