The Tom Brady to the 49ers rumors aren’t going anywhere

We are in peak rumor season, and there is no bigger rumor than Tom Brady going to the San Francisco 49ers.

NBC Sports Boston’s Tom Curran believes chatter that free agent Tom Brady could end up in San Francisco is “real.” Curran, who is as plugged into the Patriots as any reporter out there, believes the Pats and Titans are the leaders in the clubhouse for the living legend, but that the 49ers are “closing hard.” Curran believes the chatter is coming from both Brady and the Niners. Jimmy Garoppolo could come off the books at nearly no cost to the 49ers while clearing $22.4 million in cap space. 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan has a good relationship with Bill Belichick and obviously has vivid memories of Brady engineering the Pats’ 28-3 Super Bowl comeback in 2017.

Curran is plugged in, and I don’t think it’s wise to dismiss the notion that Brady could be on the 49ers. With that said, it’s not happening, and if you listen to this, Curran doesn’t sound confident that the Patriots QB ends up in San Francisco. Here he is when asked where Brady will play next season:

50/50. To me, it’s either going to be New England, or Tennesee, with the 49ers closing hard on the outside. Curran then said he does believe the 49ers conversation is real. When asked if this was coming from Brady or San Francisco’s camp, Curran said, “I think it’s from both.” The following statement is were all credibility is lost:

The Patriots sent Jimmy Garoppolo out there for such short collateral. Could Belichick say, hey, why don’t you just sign this guy when he becomes available for two years, I’ll take Jimmy back, he’ll get you the Super Bowl that you probably could have had this year if you had Brady, and we’ll start fresh. I think, the Niners can release Jimmy G outright and suffer no consequence.

Curran believes it would be the best-case scenario all-around for the Patriots to have Jimmy G again. S-P-E-C-U-L-A-T-I-O-N. That’s all this is. I was told in January that Brady was going to the Chargers. I feel like if there were rumors that had any substance, Matt Maiocco or Barrows would have said something by now. They’ve been mute on the topic. That’s enough for me. If the 49ers were to cut Jimmy G, they’d eat $4.2 million in dead money, and save $22.4 million against the cap. They’d turn around and give that money to Brady. Then, in a season or two, instead of having a 30-year-old quarterback that you have under contract on essentially a year-to-year basis for the next three seasons, you’re in the quarterback market again.

This scenario is great...for the Patriots. Bill Belichick would make this trade 100 times out of 100. If you’re one of the non-believers, take all of your hate for Jimmy G and set that aside. He was traded to the 49ers as an unknown player, and in his first full season as a starter, he helped his team get to the Super Bowl. Yes, the Niners had a great defense. You can name about five to seven other teams in the NFL that have had the same. You don’t make the Super Bowl on accident. Garoppoolo was good enough to make it there in 2019, and his chances will only improve the more he plays under Shanahan’s offense. The media’s obsession with Brady is showing. He, like a million other people, grew up a 49ers fan. That has nothing to do with being the starting quarterback in 2020 of the Niners. It’s lazy.

If Brady were coming off a season where he lit it up, then these rumors would hold weight. Watch Tom in 2019 and show me the plays where you’re so impressed that he should take over for Garoppolo. I’ll be here.