Money does not seem to be the primary issue on Tom Brady’s mind with less than a week to go until the start of the NFL’s free agency period. The future Hall of Famer, whose supporting cast failed him on a consistent basis during a disappointing 2019 season, is reportedly also looking for more help from the team he ends up playing for in 2020 — whether it will be the New England Patriots, or an entirely new organization.
From the Patriots’ perspective, plenty of options will be available to add to their offensive skill position group this offseason. While the draft is deep especially at the wide receiver spot, the team is also keeping a close eye on the trade market and is expected to be somewhat active in free agency (although New England is currently projected to be comparatively tight against the salary cap and have only $29 million to work with).
If the team wants to go the latter route, one of the names to watch is New York Jets wide receiver Robby Anderson. He is probably not suited to serve as a true number one wide receiver, but could become a complementary piece in a Patriots passing attack that had a hard time when it came to stretching the field last season: Anderson’s elite deep-field skills could also help free things up for New England’s other weapons underneath.
Bringing the 26-year-old on board might help the team in its quest to keep Tom Brady in the fold — and it would also be “a dream come true” for Anderson as he said on ESPN’s SportsCenter on Wednesday. This statement was not just meant to be taken figuratively, but literally as well: “I just had a dream last night where we were on the same team. No lie. It’s so crazy,” Anderson pointed out during his appearance on the show.
While he added that he did not see any team colors, Anderson’s dream of playing with Brady coming true depends on numerous factors — including the Patriots’ willingness to invest in him. After all, he is not one of the NFL’s elite pass catchers despite his tremendous straight-line speed and has struggled against New England’s own defense in the past. Other teams might see him as more than that, though, and in turn drive the price up.
As for Anderson himself, his preferred landing spot apparently remains the Jets (a team very much not in the market for Tom Brady’s services): “I truly do want to be back with the Jets. I love Sam [Darnold]. I love my teammates, Jamal [Adams] and all those guys. I feel like there’s unfinished business there that I’ve been trying to get done since I got there. I would hope to finish out the mission, all in all. But it’s a business.”