When looking at the slew of moves (and non-moves) made by Tom Brady’s Las Vegas Raiders, are they just trying to recreate the Seattle Seahawks?
Brady isn’t technically the Raiders’ general manager, but let’s just pretend he is—because, honestly, it’s more fun that way. Since buying a minority stake in the team last year, Brady has been rumored to be heavily involved in football operations. His influence became evident with the hiring of former Buccaneers executive John Spytek as general manager. Then we have his conveniently timed meet-up with Matthew Stafford at a Montana ski resort. However, this meeting proved futile as Stafford eventually signed a new contract with the Rams. Hell, Brady even convinced Pete Carroll that leading this circus would be more rewarding than retirement!
But now, as free agency unfolds, Brady actually has to help build a functional roster. He took his first big swing Friday night, trading a third-round pick for quarterback Geno Smith.
Smith, apparently bored of being Seattle’s feel-good underdog, decided he was ready to return to the trenches. Entering the final year of his contract with a scheduled $31 million salary, he pushed for an extension—not quite in Josh Allen’s stratosphere, but still reflective of his success in leading the Seahawks to three straight winning seasons. When Seattle balked, Smith reportedly asked for a trade.
And just like that, the “Brady Effect” kicked in, and now Smith is in Las Vegas—tasked with becoming the Raiders’ latest attempt to find their next Jim Plunkett. Or, depending on who you ask, their next Rich Gannon.
The cost? The Raiders will only need to invest a third-round pick and any additional millions for an extension, which they must expeditiously finalize due to cap constraints. Once they lock in the 34-year-old Smith long-term, things can pick up in an otherwise quiet legal tampering period.
The Raiders suddenly have a legitimate quarterback, a real head coach, and an actual plan. Who knows? Maybe they’ll even draft Shedeur Sanders at No. 6 and hire Deion Sanders as their second shadow president. This is Vegas, baby!
So, does this mean the Raiders are in the running for the Super Bowl? Hey, let’s take a step back and not rush into things just yet. So, with Smith as the quarterback, the Seahawks didn’t win any playoff games and ended up with a net point differential of minus-25. The Raiders appear unlikely to challenge the Chiefs in the near future. They’ll be skilled enough to blend into the background, and that’s a big step up for them.
And it’s all thanks to Tom Brady! Is there anything this man can’t do—aside from speaking into a microphone?
*Top Photo: Pewter Report
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