In terms of ADP Tom Brady is currently the second QB taken off the board but it is not by much as Aaron Rodgers on average has been taken just a few picks ahead of him. Now the point of this article is not to knock Aaron Rodgers, the man is an incredible quarterback and one that every fantasy roster should look to own, as long as TB12 is already off the board. For Brady, we all know that he was suspended for the first four games of the season due to the fallacy that was “Deflategate” but when he returned in Week 5 he made sure to put the league on notice. Brady went on to finish the season with 3,554 yards, 28 touchdowns and two interceptions over the 12 games. Brady, never known for his rush ability did total a career best 64 yards rushing but did not find the end zone. Brady’s overall numbers are quite impressive seeing as he missed the first four games of the season.
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Also worth mentioning is the fact that Rob Gronkowski only appeared in six games with Brady under center and that includes the November 27th contest against the Jets in which Gronk suffered a season ending injury during the first quarter. So we are looking at statistics from Tom Brady with just 12 games played and only five games with arguably the best tight end. If we take his average over those 12 games and account for the four games he missed fantasy owners could have expected season ending totals of 4,738 yards with 37 touchdowns and three interceptions. Those are certainly numbers that would have had him ranking much closer to the top of the QB positional ranks.
2017 will be an interesting season for Tom Brady as the Patriots, coming off a thrilling Super Bowl victory, have added to their already impressive offensive attack by trading a first round pick to the Saints for receiver Brandin Cooks. Cooks is an absolute burner who caught 78 passes for 1,173 yards and eight touchdowns for the Saints in 2016 and in 2015 finished the year with 84 catches for 1,138 yards and nine scores. The Saints passing attack is among the best in the league so Cooks will be no stranger to the slinging approach with Tom Brady and New England. Unlike with the Saints however, Cooks will be joining a receiving group that is headlined by the previous mentioned Rob Gronkowski who is healthy and ready for training camp and Julian Edelman who had 98 catches for 1,106 yards and three touchdowns last season. Those three should rival any receiving trio in the entire NFL and when grouped up with Tom Brady it is difficult to imagine a more threatening passing attack. As those three lead the group of receivers there is also Danny Amendola, Malcolm Mitchell, Andrew Hawkins, Chris Hogan and Dwayne Allen all of whom are capable of producing as receiving options for Brady this season. The Patriots rushing game no longer has LeGarrette Blount to pound the football along the goal line and while Mike Gillislee is certainly a nice addition to the backfield I can see James White and Dion Lewis once again being major contributors in the passing attack, especially after White’s monstrous Super Bowl in which he very well could have won the MVP which saw him catch 14 passes for 110 yards and a touchdown. During the regular season White caught 60 passes for 551 yards while Lewis, who played just seven games due to a knee injury, caught 17 passes for 94 yards.
Now some worry that eventually Brady has to show some decline. Tom is already 40 years old and the rumors around his pending/eventual retirement has long been a hot topic around the New England radio shows. Those rumors continue to intensify with the seemingly capable and already anointed future of the Patriots Jimmy Garoppolo waiting in the wings. For me personally I think that this IS IT for Brady. I think the Patriots are gearing up for one last ride with TB12 as they made vast improvements on both sides of the football via trade and free agency like no other season in the past. Brady has shown no indication he is slowing down and he himself has stated he wants to play until he is 45 so who are we to think otherwise but the timing just seems right. There are plenty of strategies out there in fantasy football when it comes to drafting your quarterback but for me, at least for this year, I think the best option on the board is THE GOAT Tom Brady.
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Seahawks exercised the fifth-year option on OT Charles Cross.
Cross now remains tied to the organization through the 2026 season. PFF gave the towering 24-year-old tackle exemplary marks in 2024, ranking him 10th of 140 qualified tackles, including 15th in pass protection and 16th in run blocking. The Seahawks extend the negotiating window on one of the key pieces of their offensive front.
Browns signed WR Diontae Johnson to a one-year contract.
The former Steeler wasn’t able to carve out a significant role with the Panthers, Ravens, or Texans in 2024 after seemingly breaking out in Pittsburgh. The Browns apparently saw enough during his visit with the team Monday to sign him to a one-year contract, the details of which have yet to be released. Expect Johnson to start opposite Cedric Tillman on the perimeter while Jerry Jeudy works the slot.
ESPN’s Field Yates reports Browns placed the unrestricted free agent tender on WR Elijah Moore.
Moore visited the Bills on Monday and then saw the Browns place the unrestricted free agent tender on him. Per Field Yates, this means that Moore will count against the compensatory free agent formula should he sign with another team. He’ll play on the tender if he returns to the Browns, which carries a value of $3.428 million for wide receivers in 2025.
Fox Sports’ Jordan Szhultz reports Packers signed LB/S Isaiah Simmons, formerly of the Giants.
The former first-round hybrid linebacker and safety has yet to live up to his No. 8 overall selection in the 2020 draft, but brings the unique ability to fill multiple positions over the middle of the field to a Packers defense that prefers to play a more inside-out style. There is upside in his athletic profile and versatility - perhaps another change of scenery will serve to unlock some of that potential.
Steelers signed WR Robert Woods, formerly of the Texans, to a one-year, $2 million contract.
The 33-year-old wide receiver has long since seen his days of 100-target seasons fall by the wayside, but he still adds a veteran presence to a relatively young wide receiver room in Pittsburgh. Woods played over 60% of the offensive snaps for the Texans just twice in 2024 after doing so 13 times in 2023, indicating a high likelihood he was brought in for his locker room presence and veteran savvy rather than as a consistent contributor to the offense. The low risk signing makes sense for both parties considering Woods’ age and the state of the Pittsburgh pass-catching corps.
KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson reports the Browns met with free agent WR Diontae Johnson.
Johnson had a forgettable 2024, to put it mildly. The former Steelers receiver saw himself traded to the Panthers last offseason only to later be traded to the Ravens, where his lack of playing time eventually led to his release. He then found his way to the wide receiver-needy Texans, who rostered him for just over three weeks. He was then claimed off waivers by the Ravens but was not eligible to play during the postseason. Now a free agent, Johnson, 28, has not enjoyed the market many expected him to see this time last year. He’s a productive receiver who has amassed 424 catches for 4,738 yards and 28 touchdowns in his six-year career, but it goes without saying that he’s likely in brand rebuilding mode as far as this offseason is concerned. It’s hard to imagine any team giving him a lucrative contract after last year’s disastrous campaign. That said, Johnson could still still provide help to plenty of needy teams and could prove to be a valuable contributor at a cost-efficient price. This is the first visit we’ve heard of for Johnson, who may meet with other teams before signing.