Hypothesizing a potential trade package for Tom Brady in the current NFL market

Tom Brady shocked the entire NFL world by ending his retirement after 40 days and returning to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. But the move did not come without its fair share of drama and rumors.

While he was retired, rumors constantly flew around about him wanting a trade, with the Miami Dolphins and San Francisco 49ers being likely destinations. The Dolphins rumors still haven't fully died down even with Brady back and embracing the Buccaneers.

But let's say, for some reason, teams want to make Tampa Bay an offer for the legendary quarterback. What would such an offer look like if it were to be considered a realistic one?

What would it cost to trade for Tom Brady?

Some fans may think it would require some legendary trade package to deal for arguably the greatest NFL player of all time. Yet that is no longer the case given his age and contract.

He will turn 45 years old in August and is in the last year of his deal. So it's not like this is a decade ago and he has no intention of retiring. While he still could come back in 2023, his recent retirement raises doubts about this being a long-term situation.

We can assume, at least, one first-round pick would be required to land Brady. That is a given as he immediately shows up and makes any team a Super Bowl contender. But would he cost two first-round picks? That is a great debate, and the safe answer is, no, he would not.

A good starting point seems to be a first-round pick, a second-round pick, and maybe a fourth or fifth-round pick. The Buccaneers would also be in a tough spot here because Brady would have all the leverage. This is not a situation where they can play hardball and hope he returns a year later. He could just head into retirement again if he, somehow, reached a stalemate with the team in this hypothetical.

The trade-off here is Tampa Bay finally moving on and getting some draft capital in return. However, this scenario would be a nightmare if it happened after the NFL Draft. That could mean the team drafts a young quarterback this month with an eye on the future, even if that future begins this year.

Trading away a first-round pick for Brady would be a no-brainer. As the Los Angeles Rams have shown, trading picks for talent can result in a championship. And just when a team like that seems to be out of moves, they keep adding proven stars.

Brady being traded would be a shock, especially given the fact he has more power in Tampa Bay with Bruce Arians gone. But if teams want to make an offer, the package detailed here would be a good starting point.

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