NFL Rumors: Latest Buzz on Tom Brady's Patriots Future, Josh McDaniels, More

When Tom Brady's pass was intercepted and returned for a touchdown to seal the New England's fate on Wild Card Weekend, there seemed to be a sense of finality. This was less a case of a proverbial Davis besting the NFL's Goliath and more a case of the Tennessee Titans putting a wounded Patriots team out of its misery.

Could New England get back to prominence in 2020? Absolutely, but there are questions galore about the future of the roster, the coaching staff and, of course, Brady.

Brady will turn 43 before the start of the next season. While he's still capable of being a quality starter when healthy—which he apparently was not late in the season—he is undoubtedly nearing the end of his career. Logically, he'll want to finish it with a team capable of making a championship run.

Given the talent-starved nature of the Patriots offense, that may not be in New England. And if it is in New England, Brady may be done providing a hometown discount.

"I spoke to some people who are close to Brady and they did say that this is a guy who is going to do this on his own terms," ESPN's Jeff Darlington said on SportsCenter. "If he's going to return to the Patriots, it will be, in some capacity, on his own terms."

Brady could have some leverage if "his terms" involve financials. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the market for Brady could be more robust than it appears at first blush.

"I believe there will be teams that have really not been at the forefront of the speculation, which is what this is, that will emerge and all of a sudden be potential landing spots for Tom Brady," Schefter told WEEI.

Potentially playing a role in Brady's decision is the health of his favorite target Julian Edelman. Though he had a strong campaign—100 receptions, 1,117 yards and six touchdowns—and was essentially New England's only reliable receiver, Edelman could also be at a crossroads.

According to Karen Guregian of the Boston Herald, Edelman will need to undergo knee and shoulder surgery this offseason. For a player who will turn 34 in May, this could be an issue. There's no guarantee he'll be at 100 percent in 2020

If the Patriots won't commit to upgrading their offense this offseason, Brady may wish to play elsewhere. If he does, or if the Patriots simply aren't happy with Brady's terms, they could potentially look for a younger player to take over the starting gig.

NBC Sports' Peter King believes a seasoned veteran like Andy Dalton could fit the bill.

"I think Andy Dalton would be a very compelling guy to either be their quarterback for a while or to be their bridge guy to the next quarterback or to take Jarrett Stidham under his wing as Brady did some this year and make the best of Jarrett Stidham for 2021 and beyond," King said on Pro Football Talk.

New England may also be losing offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, who interviewed for the Cleveland Browns' head coaching job on Friday.

According to Steve Doerschuk of the Canton Repository, McDaniels wanted the Browns job last offseason and "would have embraced an interview."

However, the latest buzz from Cleveland suggests that McDaniels may not be the hire. According to Dustin Fox of 92.3 The Fan, the Browns are now examining potential general managers not recommended by McDaniels:

If true, the Browns may be leaning toward another candidate, like Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski. It may not be a coincidence that Kevin O'Connell, who was expected to be part of McDaniels' staff if he was hired, decided to join the Los Angeles Rams not long after McDaniels finished his interview.

With Cleveland having the last remaining head-coach opening, McDaniels will almost certainly return to New England if he doesn't get it. Whether the offense under his command looks anything like it did in 2019 remains a mystery.