2020 NFL Free Agents: Latest Tom Brady Rumors, Predictions for Top Players

The New England Patriots are onto contract negotiations.

With their season officially over, the football world turns its attention to the single most intriguing storyline this offseason: Will the Patriots reach a deal with franchise quarterback Tom Brady?

The case for Brady is easy to make. He's got 219 regular-season wins and another 30 in the playoffs. There's also his six Super Bowl titles, 14 Pro Bowl selections and three MVP awards. He's arguably the greatest quarterback of all time—and that argument gets easier to make by the day.

He's also turning 43 years old this summer and has seen his numbers drop off significantly. In 2019, Brady passed for his fewest touchdowns since 2006 (24) and finished with his lowest QBR ever (52.5) while his yards per pass attempt (6.6) were the second-worst in his career behind only his 2002 season.

Where does that leave the Patriots? This is pretty much uncharted territory for them.

"It truly is a wait-and-see situation," ESPN's Mike Reiss reported Saturday. "There's been no contract talks since August."

The reality is the Patriots offense is built around Brady. There's also little to suggest backups Jarrett Stidham and Cody Kessler will be tasked with replacing the future Hall of Famer.

Negotiations may get ugly—and there are likely to be more than a few "mystery teams" vying for his services—but it'll be hard to believe Brady is done in New England until he's either retired or taking the field in a different team's colors.

Prediction: Brady signs a three-year contract in New England and retires a Patriot.

Drew Brees

Brian Blanco/Associated Press

Beyond Brady, there are a few other starting quarterbacks who are set to become sought-after free agents once the season ends.

Drew Brees is 41 years old and currently makes more than $22 million per season. He's also the NFL's all-time leading passer and the key to New Orleans' high-powered offense. The Saints have elite weapons in wideout Michael Thomas and running back Alvin Kamara, but this is still his show.

Backup Teddy Bridgewater played admirably over a five-game stretch when Brees suffered a thumb injury this season, but he's expected to sign elsewhere after this season.

Much like Brady and New England, Brees and New Orleans have too much riding on each other to break things off now.

Prediction: Brees signs another two-year deal in New Orleans.

Jameis Winston

Jeff Haynes/Associated Press

Winston is football's walking version of Murphy's Law. Any mistake or miracle that can be made will be made by the former Florida State Seminole. Never was that truer than in 2019, when Winston led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to an 8-8 record while throwing for 33 touchdowns and 30 interceptions. He also led the NFL in passing yards with 5,109, becoming the only quarterback to top 5,000 this season.

Tampa Bay head coach Bruce Arians summed up the situation rather perfectly when he quipped that Winston does "so much good and so much outright terrible." Arians also said that if the Bucs could win with Winston, they can definitely win with another quarterback, too.

It seems more like posturing than anything at this point, and as much as the Buccaneers could benefit from a new quarterback, having elite wideouts in Chris Godwin and Mike Evans can make re-signing the league's leading passer too tempting to pass up.

Prediction: Winston signs a four-year deal in Tampa Bay.