It's February and those Tom Brady-Raiders rumors aren't going anywhere.
The 42-year-old quarterback, who will be 43 when the 2020 season starts, will become a free agent when the new league year starts in March. While conventional wisdom dictates that Brady will return to the New England Patriots, along with a souped-up supporting cast, the Raiders reportedly are set to pursue the six-time Super Bowl champion should he make it to free agency.
It likely will take a hefty sum to lure Brady away from Foxboro, Mass., and longtime sportswriter Larry Fitzgerald Sr., -- who also is the father of Arizona Cardinals star wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald Jr. -- dropped this nugget on Twitter on Friday.
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It's worth noting, obviously, that Fitzgerald didn't say who told him that or give any reason to believe this is a legitimate rumor.
But, that number -- $30 million -- likely is around what it will take in reality for Jon Gruden to have a chance at luring Brady to Las Vegas, which he absolutely should try to do if TB12 will hear him out. The Raiders are slated to have around $55 million in salary cap room entering the offseason. While they'd prefer to get Brady a touch cheaper price tag in order to spend on a defense that needs severe upgrades, the Raiders, in theory, can afford to hand over the king's ransom to Brady if that's what it takes.
Of course, two years and $60 million is a lot to give a quarterback who could lose his fastball and battle with Father Time at any moment.
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The smart money is on Brady returning to New England, Derek Carr being the starter in Las Vegas and Gruden using his cap money to improve his defense. But if Brady is thinking about leaving the Patriots, the Raiders know they'll have to put their money where their playoff hopes are.