Tom Brady, 49ers QB? San Francisco must go after the GOAT!

Of course the San Francisco 49ers should go after Tom Brady. It's an absolute no-brainer. It's an amazing, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to sign the GOAT, who is still great.

If Brady had been under center for San Francisco last month, the Niners would've won the Super Bowl. Jimmy Garoppolo played a terrible fourth quarter and overthrew a wide-open Emmanuel Sanders on a would-be go-ahead touchdown pass with less than two minutes remaining.

But enough about the past -- let's look ahead to the 2020 season. Because that's what matters here.

Tom Brady unequivocally gives the 49ers a greater chance to win the Super Bowl. It's not a debate. I know that Brady turns 43 in August. I don't care. He's a much better quarterback than Jimmy G right now, by any measuring stick that really matters -- and especially in the big-game department, which is pretty crucial to a Niners team that's squarely in its Super Bowl window.

Look, I'm a Jimmy G fan. I've given him his due and major props. I'm not telling the Niners to move on from Garoppolo haphazardly; I'm telling them to replace him with TOM FREAKING BRADY! It's the easiest decision you can make if you are Kyle Shanahan, John Lynch and Jed York.

Yes, San Francisco won the NFC last
year and was a quarter away from winning it all. Yes, the 28-year-old Garoppolo has many more seasons left in him than Brady. But if you haven't noticed, the NFL is a year-to-year league now more than ever. Long-term thinking is a luxury most organizations can't really enjoy -- particularly not if they're ring hunting.

Right now, on paper, before free agency and the draft, the 2020 49ers feel like an 11-5 team. But remember how last season played out for this team? Remember that Sunday night in Seattle, how the difference between San Francisco winning the division/nabbing the NFC's top seed and hitting the road on Wild Card Weekend as a No. 5 seed came down to what was essentially the final play of Week 17? A goal-line tackle was made. A bye was clinched. And the Niners parlayed home-field advantage into a trip to the Super Bowl. Don't get it twisted how close it was to going the other way.

The division and conference will be even tighter this year. A Jimmy G-led Niners team will have no guarantees or gimmes. On the quarterbacking front, the NFC West has a future Hall of Famer in Russell Wilson, the reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year in Kyler Murray and Jared Goff, who is on the same level as Garoppolo. The Seahawks will hit double-digit wins, the Rams are far from dead and the Cardinals will win games you don't expect them to win, because Murray has some magic. Big picture in the NFC, Carson Wentz, Dak Prescott, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees and Matt Ryan can absolutely make the playoffs. All those QBs against Jimmy G? Advantage: Opponent. And you know Shanahan loves his guy, Kirk Cousins, over in Minnesota. That was the original plan, in fact: For Little Shanny to bring Cousins to San Francisco in free agency. Heck, he even admitted as much during Super Bowl week, explaining that Cousins' impending free agency was part of the reason San Francisco passed on Patrick Mahomes in the 2017 draft. Passing on Mahomes was obviously regrettable in hindsight. But passing on Brady in the here and now? Doesn't take much foresight to see how that would be regrettable.

I don't wanna hear that Brady doesn't fit Shanahan's system. Kyle is a genius. He will adjust and adapt. He gets the most out of every quarterback he works with, no matter the style, from Robert Griffin III to Jimmy Garoppolo. He called plays for Matt Ryan's MVP season. Heck, he made Matt Schaub a 4,770-yard Pro Bowler! And I'm guessing another former Shanahan pupil, Brian Hoyer, has raved about the coach to Brady, his ex-teammate in New England. What did Scott Pioli say about Kyle on my CBS Sports Network show, Time to Schein? That when it comes to football intelligence, Shanahan's the closest coach he's ever seen to ... Bill Belichick. Yup. That's a guy who Brady's worked with kinda closely, no? But Shanahan would have more of a human touch for the quarterback in his advanced age. And Kyle can find a younger QB to develop for a few years down the road. That's what he does!!

I don't want to hear that Brady didn't play well last year. The issues in New England included a lackluster line, Belichick never replacing Gronk and not employing a legit tight end, subpar receivers and a suspect run game that sorely missed injured FB James Develin. With the genius of Shanahan, the 49ers' line, a Gronk clone in George Kittle, a Pro Bowl fullback in Kyle Juszczyk and a young stud receiver in Deebo Samuel, Brady will thrive.

San Francisco checks every box for Brady. He grew up in the Bay Area as a big Niners fan. He experienced "The Catch" live and in person! Gisele and Tom will be a short flight from Los Angeles for work and Tom's new production company -- and they will be right near Tom's parents. The Niners give him a better chance to win right now than the Patriots.Jimmy G is super popular in the locker room. He works hard. Teammates love him. That said, I'm guessing they'd love being in a Super Bowl-winning locker room with Brady more.

I think it's a very realistic possibility that Brady leaves New England. Noted Patriots insider Tom Curran of NBC Sports Boston told me last week on my SiriusXM Radio show that he thinks it's 50-50 Brady departs. And I agreed with Curran when he called Tennessee the front-runner if the GOAT flies the coop. That's a nice fit, too. But Curran also added that the 49ers are "closing hard on the outside," a comment that dominated the news cycle last week.

The Niners can get out of the Jimmy G contract right now and only take a $4.2 million hit in dead cap. That's nothing.

Go big, San Francisco. Sign Tom Brady. Win the Super Bowl. It's really that simple. For the Niners, it needs to happen.

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Three NFL free agents who should stay and three who should go

Free agency essentially boils down to a choice: stay or go.

Not every player will have the option to leave, specifically those who will be hit with the franchise tag, and not every player will want to leave. Some will recommit to the team they most recently suited up for. Others, however, will be donning different colors or scoping out a new city.

As the free agency period draws nearer, I've highlighted three free agents whose best option is remaining where they are -- and three who should definitely leave for new teams. (Note that players are listed with their current teams.)

THREE PLAYERS WHO SHOULD STAY

Tom Brady, QB, New England Patriots

Brady recently texted his former offensive coordinator, Sirius XM NFL Radio's Charlie Weis, to remind him that nobody but Brady knows what's happening with his pending free agent status and NFL future. The football world is anxiously waiting to find out where arguably the greatest quarterback of all time will spend the 2020 season. But the 42-year-old will have a limited number of suitors, based on his age, system fit and concerns about a dip in production last season, even though a lack of support at the skill positions might have contributed to those struggles. The Patriots -- who are known for jettisoning veteran talent in advance of their inevitable decline -- might have similar concerns about Brady.

However, if Bill Belichick and Co. are open to another go-around with Brady, the benefits of sticking with the only franchise the quarterback has ever known outweigh the potential positives of leaving for a team like the Titans or Chargers. A new team would come with uncertainties; staying in New England would allow Brady to conduct his 21st NFL season in a familiar place on a team that will know exactly what he's capable of -- one that he can know will be favored to win the AFC East again, thus putting him in position to potentially add to his collection of Super Bowl rings. While some of the greatest QBs ever -- including Joe Namath, Johnny Unitas, Brett Favre and Peyton Manning -- ended up playing for multiple teams, there is something to be said for the idea of Brady being a Patriot for life.

Leonard Williams, DL, New York Giants

The Giants could use the franchise tag to hang on to Williams, in whom general manager Dave Gettleman already invested -- as part of a somewhat-risky decision -- a pair of draft picks while acquiring the former first-rounder from the Jets via trade last October. But if Williams does hit the market, and if he receives an offer from the Giants that is close to what he would get elsewhere, he should strongly consider staying with the team that seemingly wants to structure the defensive line around him, and which could be providing him with more help via the fourth overall pick in the draft. (New Giants coach Joe Judge scouted Derrick Brown at Auburn's pro day.)

Jason Pierre-Paul, Edge, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Bucs coach Bruce Arians said in December keeping the defensive front seven together is a priority for him, but that will be tricky, with Shaq Barrett, Carl Nassib and Jason Pierre-Paul are all headed for free agency. Barrett will likely be tagged, leaving Pierre-Paul potentially free to sign elsewhere. JPP was mentioned in my article listing free agents with maximum leverage heading into the signing period for a reason: He played a significant role in Barrett's 19.5-sack season. After Barrett's hot start (nine sacks in his first four games), opposing offensive lines began to focus on him, cutting down on his production -- until Pierre-Paul returned from offseason neck surgery in Week 8, forcing opponents to account for two potent pass-rushing threats. Barrett went on to notch 10.5 more sacks in his final 10 games, while JPP added 8.5 of his own. If the Bucs lock down Barrett and make a competitive offer to JPP, he should think about re-teaming with Barrett and continuing to build on the momentum they established in Tampa last season.

THREE PLAYERS WHO SHOULD LEAVE

Teddy Bridgewater, QB, New Orleans Saints

Last offseason, Bridgewater passed on a chance to start for the Dolphins, choosing instead to re-sign with New Orleans for another year of backup duty behind Drew Brees. Then, when Brees went down with a thumb injury, Bridgewater stepped up and compiled a 5-0 record with a 9:2 TD-to-INT ratio, answering any remaining doubts about his ability to once again be a bona fide starting QB after his 2016 knee injury. With Brees coming back for another season and Taysom Hill also likely to return, it would make little sense for either side to have Bridgewater on the Saints' roster in 2020, with Bridgewater appearing ready to bolt for a starting opportunity and New Orleans lacking the cap space to keep him. Tampa is an intriguing possibility for the 27-year-old; after Jameis Winston's 30-interception 2019, the Bucs would surely appreciate Bridgewater's turnover-averse ways.

Yannick Ngakoue, Edge, Jacksonville Jaguars

In the wake of reports that the Jaguars intend to use the franchise tag on him, Ngakoue made it clear he wants out of Jacksonville. Though the team will be shorthanded after having bid farewell to veterans A.J. Bouye, Marcell Dareus and Jake Ryan, the ideal scenario for both sides could be for the Jags to tag Ngakoue, then find a trade partner who could send draft picks to Jacksonville and offer a big-bucks extension to Ngakoue, a la the trades that sent Frank Clark from the Seahawks to the Chiefs and Dee Ford from the Chiefs to the 49ers last offseason.

UPDATE: The Jaguars have placed the franchise tag on Ngakoue.

Joe Schobert, LB, Cleveland Browns

This one is a bit of a cheat, because while the Browns haven't indicated anything officially, Cleveland.com reported in February that the team won't be re-signing the linebacker this offseason as it focuses on filling glaring needs on the offensive line. But if Cleveland doesn't want him, Schobert should have no trouble finding someone willing to pay him $10 million per season this offseason -- as a defender who can make plays in space and serve a leadership role, he'll be well worth that cost. In 2019, the 26-year-old registered a career-high nine passes defensed and four picks.

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NFLPA board extends voting deadline on new CBA

NFL Players Association members are going to get all the time they need to make an informed decision on a new collective bargaining agreement.

The NFLPA announced Monday it has extended the voting window from Thursday to Saturday at 11:59 p.m. ET, thanks to a vote of its board of player representatives to extend the window.

"Every vote matters, and we encourage all players to review the materials sent via email in order to make an informed decision," the NFLPA said in a statement.

The process won't get any quicker, but this could allow for more players to submit votes for approval or denial. We've seen notable players like Russell Wilson, Aaron Rodgers and Kenny Stills make public their dissatisfaction with the proposed CBA, while others such as Lions linebacker Devon Kennard and Giants offensive lineman Nate Solder have let their support of the new deal be known.

The delay will allow players additional time to become fully informed before casting their vote, but it will also hold up most NFL business. Rule changes and uncertainty surrounding them are keeping teams from acting, but it does give a larger window for teams to attempt to use both the franchise tag and transition tag on two players with the hopes of getting a long-term deal done with at least one (using the tag as leverage to do so) before a new CBA would remove a tag, per NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport.

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Raiders release LB Tahir Whitehead, save $6.25M

Raiders general manager Mike Mayock recently spoke rather candidly of where his team needs to improve, and among the most important areas was linebacker.

Las Vegas made a change at the position Monday, releasing Tahir Whitehead, the team announced.

The 29-year-old Whitehead spent his last two seasons with the Raiders, recording 234 tackles, six passes defended, one interception and one forced fumble in 32 games. His Pro Football Focus grade (55.2) places him just behind standout linebackers Anthony Barr (55.6), Tremaine Edmunds (58.5) and Leighton Vander Esch (58.6), providing quantitative proof Whitehead could offer some value to a team in need.

That team won't be the Raiders, but his release does offer some financial relief. Whitehead accounted for $7.29 million in cap space in 2020, per Over The Cap, and his release will save the Raiders $6.25 million of that total, bringing their projected total north of $55 million just before free agency begins.

Whitehead will get an early shot at free agency with a little over a week to go before the pool is flooded with eligible players. The Raiders will turn the page in the meantime ahead of free agency and a draft in which they own two first-round picks and could use one to select a promising prospect in a class featuring at least a few of them at the position.

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Oklahoma to unveil statue of Browns' Baker Mayfield

Baker Mayfield is still working on becoming a legitimate franchise quarterback in the NFL, but his standing at Oklahoma is cemented.

In fact, it's been bronzed.

University of Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley announced Monday the school will unveil a statue of Mayfield during its spring game on April 18 in Norman, Oklahoma. Mayfield's statue will be the latest of Heisman winners who hailed from Oklahoma.

Mayfield won the Heisman Trophy in 2017 after completing 70.5 percent of his passes for 4,627 yards and a 43-6 touchdown-to-interception ratio. He led the Sooners to the Rose Bowl, where they were defeated in a thrilling College Football Playoff National Semifinal against future teammate Nick Chubb's Georgia Bulldogs.

Cleveland made Mayfield the No. 1 overall pick of the 2018 draft, surprising experts who thought the Browns might choose USC's Sam Darnold or Wyoming's Josh Allen, not Mayfield. He completed a stellar rookie campaign in 2018 but regressed in 2019 amid internal turmoil that saw head coach Freddie Kitchens fired and general manager John Dorsey part ways with the team after the season.

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This Day in Football History: March 2 to March 8, 2020

From the anniversary of Peyton Manning's retirement to Hall of Famer Gil Brandt's 87th birthday, check out some of this week's historic NFL moments. Think you know your football trivia? NFL Research looks back at some of the great games, stunning accomplishments and historic events to make sure you're in the loop on this day in history.

March 2

On this day in 2019, Ole Miss wide receiver DK Metcalf ran a 4.33 in the 40-yard dash at the 2019 NFL Scouting Combine, the fastest time by any player weighing at least 225 pounds since 2003.

Happy birthday to Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger! Roethlisberger, who is a two-time Super Bowl champion (Super Bowl XL and Super Bowl XLIII), turns 38 on March 2. He has been the Steelers quarterback since he was drafted by Pittsburgh in 2004, when he was named AP Offensive Rookie of the Year. Roethlisberger has been selected to six Pro Bowls and ranks in the top 10 all-time in both pass yards (eighth) and passing touchdowns (ninth).

March 3

On this day in 1950, the National and American Conferences were created, replacing the Eastern and Western Divisions.

Central Florida linebacker Shaquem Griffin put up 20 bench press reps using a prosthetic hand at the 2018 NFL Scouting Combine. According to Next Gen Stats, Griffin had an edge pass rush get-off of 0.78 seconds in 2019, tied for the eighth-fastest in the NFL (minimum 50 edge pass rushes).

Happy 58th birthday to Herschel Walker! Walker was a running back for the Cowboys (1986-1989 and 1996-1997), Vikings (1989-1991), Eagles (1992-1994), and Giants (1995) and was a two-time Pro Bowl selection.

March 4

Happy 87th birthday to Hall of Famer and NFL.com senior analyst Gil Brandt. Brandt was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2019 after serving as the Cowboys vice president of player personnel for 29 seasons (1960-1988). Under Brandt, the Cowboys saw 20 consecutive winning seasons (1966-1985), five Super Bowl appearances and two Super Bowl victories (Super Bowl VI and Super Bowl XII). Brandt drafted nine future Hall of Famers and began working at NFL Media in 1995 - NFL.com's first season.

On this day in 2017, Washington wide receiver John Ross set the combine record for the fastest 40-yard dash since at least 2003 when he ran a 4.22 at the 2017 NFL Scouting Combine. According to Next Gen Stats, Ross reached at least 20 MPH on 1.6% of his snaps in 2019, the 11th-highest rate in the NFL (minimum 300 snaps).

March 5

On this day in 2015, NFL Network analyst Maurice Jones-Drew announced his retirement after nine seasons in the NFL. Jones-Drew was a running back for the Jaguars (2006-2013) and Raiders (2014) and his career accolades include three Pro Bowl selections and being named first-team All-Pro in 2011 when he led the league with 1,606 rushing yards. His 68 rushing touchdowns are the most in Jaguars history and he is one of two players in NFL history (Shaun Alexander) with at least 8,000 rush yards and at least 65 rushing touchdowns on fewer than 2,000 carries prior to their age-30 season.

Happy birthday to Hall of Famer and NFL Network analyst Michael Irvin! Irvin, who is a three-time Super Bowl champion (Super Bowl XXVII, Super Bowl XXVIII and Super Bowl XXX), turns 54 on March 5. As a wide receiver for the Cowboys (1988-1999), Irvin was selected to five Pro Bowl, named first-team All-Pro in 1991, and racked up 11,904 receiving yards and 750 receptions (both second-most in Cowboys history).

Happy 60th birthday to Hall of Famer Mike Munchak! Munchak played for the Houston Oilers from 1982-1993 and was selected to nine Pro Bowls and named first-team All-Pro twice. He was selected to the Pro Bowl in each of his last seven seasons in the league and moved to coaching after retiring as a player. Munchak was the Titans head coach from 2011-2013 and has been the Broncos offensive line coach since 2019.

March 6

On this day in 2005, Hall of Famer and NFL Network analyst Kurt Warner signed with the Arizona Cardinals. Warner was the Cardinals quarterback from 2005 to 2009 and his Arizona career included a Pro Bowl selection, a Super Bowl appearance, a 91.9 passer rating (the highest in Cardinals history, minimum 50 attempts), and being named the 2008 Walter Payton Man of the Year. Before joining the Cardinals in 2005, Warner played six seasons with the Rams (1998-2003) and a season with the Giants (2004). In his entire career, Warner was a four-time Pro Bowl selection, named first-team All-Pro twice, a two-time MVP, and a Super Bowl champion in Super Bowl XXXIV.

March 7

On this day in 2016, Peyton Manning announced his retirement. In his storied career, Manning was a two-time Super Bowl champion (Super Bowl XLI and Super Bowl 50), a five-time MVP (the most in NFL history), selected to 14 Pro Bowls, and named first-team All-Pro seven times. At the time of his retirement, Manning was the all-time leader in passing yards (71,940) and passing touchdowns (539).

Happy birthday to Hall of Famer Franco Harris! The four-time Super Bowl champion (Super Bowl IX, Super Bowl X, Super Bowl XIII and Super Bowl XIV) turns 70 on March 7. He was named the 1972 AP Offensive Player of the Year and his 11,950 rushing yards and 91 rushing touchdowns both rank first in Steelers history.

March 8

Happy 44th birthday to Hines Ward! Ward was selected to four Pro Bowls, was a two-time Super Bowl champion (Super Bowl XL and Super Bowl XLIII), and Super Bowl XL MVP. He was a wide receiver for the Steelers from 1998 to 2011 and his 1,000 receptions, 12,083 receiving yards, and 85 receiving touchdowns all rank first in Steelers history. Ward is one of 14 players all-time with at least 1,000 receptions.

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Deshaun Watson's "role" on 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' | Daily Brew

Deshaun Watson made it on HBO.

Even though the Texans quarterback on vacation in Madrid Sunday, his name was mentioned on last night's episode of 'Curb Your Enthusiasm'.

Larry David is the creator, writer and star of the long-running HBO comedy. He's also a Jets fan. In Sunday's episode, at a funeral for a friend of David's, he and the deceased's wife discussed the friend's passing. The wife said her husband, a New York Jets fan, woke in the middle of the night once and yelled "Watson". She asked David if it was a Sherlock Holmes' reference. David's reply set her straight.

"No, I think that's a reference to Deshaun Watson, who the Jets passed on drafting in 2017," David said.

New York drafted LSU safety Jamal Adams sixth overall that spring. The Texans traded up with Cleveland and took Watson 12th.

Watson is traveling in Europe. On Sunday in Madrid, he took in 'El Clasico', a soccer match between Real Madrid and Barcelona.

The Pro Bowl quarterback isn't the only Texan who's made a splash on television this offseason. J.J. Watt hosted an episode of Saturday Night Live in early February.

The Texans will be back in NRG Stadium on April 20 for the start of the offseason conditioning program.

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