Chargers Now Given Best Odds to Sign Tom Brady If QB Leaves New England

• Los Angeles Chargers have vaulted past the Cleveland Browns to become the favorites to sign Tom Brady
• Browns emerged as early favorites but have fallen off the pace as Josh McDaniels looks elsewhere for a head coaching job
• With a new stadium to fill and high expectations to meet, the Las Vegas Raiders are an intriguing +700 bet

What a difference 24 hours makes. Just one day after the Cleveland Browns became +135 favorites to have quarterback Tom Brady under center next season, the Los Angeles Chargers have emerged as +200 chalk to be the future Hall-of-Famer’s next destination.

Note that any wagers on following prop bet will be graded no action if Brady returns to the New England Patriots in 2020.

Odds on Tom Brady’s 2020 Team

Odds taken on January 7, 2020.

A Disappointing End in New England

Brady played what was potentially his final game with New England last weekend. The 42-year-old closed out his 20th season with the Patriots in disappointing fashion, as the defending Super Bowl champions dropped a 20-13 decision to the Tennessee Titans to bow out of the playoffs on Wild Card Weekend for the first time in a decade.

WHOA! Tom Brady was already favored to sign with the #Browns if he left the #Patriots https://t.co/rc1JcIlgXW

🚨But the odds just shortened to +135!!🚨

— Matt McEwan (@SBD_Matt) January 6, 2020

With Brady now a free agent, speculation on where he will call home next year immediately overshadowed the team’s failed bid for a fourth Super Bowl title in six years. After saying that retirement is “unlikely”, the Browns quickly became the frontrunners to land Brady’s services if he leaves New England. Cleveland opened as +550 favorites before vaulting to a short +135 bet thanks to early betting money coming in on the Browns.

Browns Fall Off the Pace as McDaniels Continues Job Search

In addition to the uncertainty surrounding the future of current Cleveland starter Baker Mayfield, the prospect of Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels taking over the reins as head coach contributed to the odds favoring the long-suffering Browns.

While Mayfield ranked sixth in the NFL this season in passing yards, he also led the league in interceptions while guiding the team to a 12th straight losing season.

However, with one published report indicating the Browns have “zero chance” of hiring McDaniels, the momentum has swung in favor of the Chargers, who had opened at +600. Cleveland has tumbled to +900.

Chargers Offer a Good Fit

Just one year removed from a 12-4 campaign that ended with a 41-28 loss to Brady and the Patriots in the AFC Divisional Playoffs, the Chargers took a step back this season, finishing at the bottom of the AFC West with a 5-11 record. That disappointment likely signals the end of Philip Rivers’ tenure as the team’s starting quarterback.

#Chargers GM Tom Telesco says, “in a perfect world number 17 (QB Philip Rivers) is your quarterback forever.” He talks about how much Rivers has meant to the organization. pic.twitter.com/AuIqJfybBS

— Fernando Ramirez (@RealFRamirez) January 3, 2020

In addition, with the Chargers desperate to build a stronger fan base as they get set to move into SoFi Stadium after three seasons playing in front of small crowds dominated by opposing fans at Dignity Health Sports Park, bringing in Brady could prove to be mutually advantageous for both the team and the four-time Super Bowl MVP.

Signing Tom Brady might be the only way the Los Angeles Chargers can move the needle in L.A. as they move into the brand new $5 billion, 70,000-seat SoFi Stadium. pic.twitter.com/Htu5g1MeEU

— Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) January 7, 2020

Money is also unlikely to be an issue for the Chargers if they elect to pursue Brady, who was born and raised in San Mateo, California, and who will be hard pressed to find a better market in which to build his personal brand.

But while the Chargers appear to be a good fit for Brady, one other team could offer him the same opportunity to make a lot of money and raise his media profile while providing an opportunity to win: the Las Vegas Raiders.

Raiders Poised to Compete with Bolts

The Raiders found themselves in the playoff hunt on the last weekend of their final season in Oakland. However, that may not be enough to save the job of starting quarterback Derek Carr, who tossed just eight total TDvpasses over the final eight games of the season.

Like the Chargers, the Raiders have a new stadium to fill next season and will likely feel the pressure to follow in the footsteps of the fledgling Vegas Golden Knights, who captivated the hockey world with their march to the Stanley Cup Final in their first NHL season in 2017-18.

Derek Carr's massive contract—he's owed $62 million over the next three years—is just one reason the Raiders should find a new quarterback. pic.twitter.com/OSS0V7ooyE

— Soundtrack Sportz (@SportzTrackz) January 5, 2020

At first glance, Carr’s contract would appear to be an obstacle. The 28-year-old is set to take home $18.9 million next season, plus a $2.5 million signing bonus. However, according to one report, the Raiders can save $16.5 million and take a cap hit of just $5 million if they elect to trade or cut Carr before June 1.

If Brady lands somewhere other than New England next season, count on it to be a team in a major market, where he can plan his future while still having a chance to win. With no current job openings in New York, Chicago, or with the Los Angeles Rams, the Chargers are a logical next stop, but it is the Raiders that currently offer the best value at +700.

Pick: Las Vegas Raiders (+700)