Technique, and more importantly experience. Offensive linemen have about the most mentally difficult job in football along with quarterbacks, believe it or not.
Both positions have to recognize opposing defenses and adjust on the fly, both before and after the snap, and that takes pretty serious mental horsepower. They, and centers especially, have to be able to look at the lineup of the defense, integrate it with down, distance, time and what play their coach/QB has called, and figure out how to make that work in the matter of a few seconds, by calling out double teams, potential pass rush stunts, different blocking schemes, and so forth.
Big and dumb is defensive line territory, not offensive line territory.
Having an older offensive lineman who’s good at this and who can physically still do the job is invaluable, as they’re experienced at all this stuff.
BTW, since this thread was last active in April, Brady has gotten divorced, lost about $50 million and is possibly facing legal problems with the FTX bankruptcy/fraud, and signed a $375 million 10 year deal with Fox Sports.
Fool me once…
If, by the end of the Superbowl in 2024 he is not an active, practice squad, or on injured reserve for any team (during the entire season) then and only then will I maybe consider him retired (and who knows, maybe he will take a 1 season break). I would allow a 1 day contract thing if he wants to retire a Patriot (or whatever)
The speculation is flying. Here’s what I’ve taken in so far.
Brady was talking to Sean Payton about teaming up. This was likely true in 2022 and likely true still. As Payton conducted his search the number of teams that would have been willing to part ways with the draft picks needed to hire him was small. Probably as small as one team, the Broncos, and they aren’t bringing in Brady with Russ’s albatross contract there. This feels likely to me, it’s not a coincidence that Brady makes the announcement a day after the Payton news breaks.
Brady was still interested in playing for the Dolphins. But Tua played too well, and the Dolphins needed to commit to him in spite of the concussions. If Tua was considering retirement or if he was looking at taking a year off this might have been on the table, but again Brady can’t displace a starter who is likely the teams’ long-term option. If something changes with Tua this may open up again, interesting to watch. Unclear if the tampering penalties and general stink with the Flores/Ross situation would be an issue here were Tua to sit out. If Brady and Ross get into business together somehow over the coming weeks, then it’s time to perk up those antennas.
The retirement announcement feels real this time. And it doesn’t feel forced. Last time it got scooped and turned into a circus. He got out in front of it and were he to come back again it would look really bad. He’ll need some air cover to sell that. With Gisele out of the picture, he’s not talking about spending more time with the family this time around. I think he really does believe that he’s done.
I’m completely baffled that he’s not seriously considering San Fransisco. The media talks about it being his hometown team and all that, but I’ve never actually heard him wax poetic about a return to the bay. Not that I listen that closely to anything he says. Maybe this is a made up thing, who knows. But…from a football perspective it seems like a near-perfect situation. Between McCaffery, Kittle, Deebo and Aiyuk it would be unquestionably the most talented set of skill position guys he’s ever had. And more so, the play style seems a letter-perfect fit. Lots or quick passes, lots of throws to the tight end, elite check down option to the RB. The only possible negative I can see is that the 49ers went through 4 QBs this year, so it doesn’t speak well of him not taking hits. The Niners also have a rookie QB who probably won’t be healthy in time for training camp after Tommy John surguery, so a 1-year placeholder feels ideal. They can deal Lance and hand it back to Purdy when Tom goes. This makes way too much sense. Wonder if it’s as simple as Shanahan not being interested or Brady being opposed to the West Coast.
Brady presumably still has that big contract with Fox. But Fox stumbled onto Greg Olsen as a really good lead analyst. I have no doubt that Fox would still want Brady on the marquee but they’ll likely lose Olsen to another network if they do. I can’t imagine him stepping back at this point. Will be interesting to watch.
Tom won’t lack for things to do if he stays retired this time.
He’s got his line of TB12 supplements to peddle - you know, the ones that lack “Unnecessary Inactive Ingredients” (only Nececessary Useless Ingredients allowed). He could find another bitcoin empire to promote, once he gets out from under the Bankman-Fried disaster.
Just drinking all the daily water he claims must eat up a lot of time, not even counting bathroom trips.
The Niners have a rookie back up quarterback that needs Tommy John. Purdy did ok in the role but he’s not going to be the star. Lance is their quarterback and he should be ready by the beginning of the season.
Depends. If Brock Purdy won the job over the last 8 weeks, then he’s the starter when he’s healthy again. Frankly, I think the 49ers will have a mutiny on their hands if they stand up there in training camp and say Lance is the starter and will remain the starter even when Purdy is ready to go.
Signing Brady would give them a nice face-saving way to justify trading Lance without looking completely foolish. It also avoids entirely the ugly Lance v. Purdy controversy that’s inevitable if they keep the status quo.
Of all his accomplishments, the one I’m most impressed with is that his team made the playoffs every single year, other than his second season way back in 2002 and the year he tore his ACL in game 1 in 2008. I doubt anyone will ever repeat, barring one hit wonders.
The 49ers are a competent and well-run organization. I can’t see them trading a guy they still like and believe in, in Lance, who they traded up for and probably has a dozen years of football left in him, for a guy that may not even have one left. That’s the kind of short-sighted foolishness I would expect from the likes of the Texans or Washington, but not San Francisco.
Yeah, I can’t see them trading Lance just yet. Even if they’re leaning Purdy at the moment, they’ll want a solid 1B option. Neither of them has been able to stay uninjured (or at least to the extent of being able to start) for a whole season, much less proven they’re actually franchise QBs vs one year wonders.
But that doesn’t mean Brady is the solution. He’s never been the type to play mentor, especially to anybody who might replace him. He’ll only want to be on a team where he’s the unambiguous starter, which does the 49ers no good.
The only possibilities I see are the teams like the Texans or Washington or the Raiders, where there’s no entrenched starter or solid development QB. But those are also the types of teams he wouldn’t have a lot of interest in playing for, since they’d all be longshots for playoff runs.
I think this is it for him. He may try a return, but unlike 4 years ago, there’s not a team willing to go all-in to build a championship team around him as a 45 year old who is unquestionably declining. Those kinds of teams would probably be better off trying to sell out for Aaron Rodgers instead in that case.
Purdy was pretty decent. He’s on a very forgiving contract. If he comes back from surgery and is able to get back where he was, he’s a potential franchise QB. Lance should be fine as a fill in.
Lance just isn’t good enough to be a starter full time IMO. He’s a fine backup. I don’t see San Francisco making him the permanent starter.
