NFC Notes: Tom Brady, Buccaneers, Giants, Panthers

Buccaneers

The future of Buccaneers QB Tom Brady is one of the biggest questions that will need to be answered this offseason, as the 45-year-old could retire or sign on for another season — in Tampa Bay or elsewhere as a free agent. Longtime teammate and current FOX analyst Rob Gronkowski seemed to heavily suggest Brady wants to play next season and offered a hint about where he thinks that might be. 

“Everyone wants to know about Tom Brady’s future. I don’t even think Tom knows what his future holds right now,” Gronkowski said on FOX, adding. “It’s gonna be whatever situation intrigues him the most. Whatever opportunity makes him the most excited to play the game of football, that’s where he will be next year.”

• Brady was fined $16,444 and C Ryan Jensen was fined $8,333 for unnecessary roughness against the Cowboys. (Ian Rapoport)

Giants

• Giants WR Wan’Dale Robinson said he plans to be healthy for Week 1 of next season after suffering an ACL tear in his right knee earlier this season, which also required a slight cleanup of his meniscus during surgery. (Jordan Raanan)
• Giants QB Daniel Jones notes he would “love to be here” next season but also mentioned there is a “business side” to the game as well. (Pat Leonard)
• Giants S Jordan Love said his contract talks with the team got closer during the bye week, and while he doesn’t guarantee he will return, he is optimistic a deal will get done. (Hughes)
• Dan Duggan reports that the Giants offered a futures deal to International Pathway Player OL Roy Mbaeteka from Nigeria, who declined and is instead opting to return to the program.

Panthers

• According to Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post, other teams and executives are approaching this offseason as if Ravens QB Lamar Jackson is available given the sudden appearance of discord between the two sides. 
• If Baltimore decided to trade Jackson, La Canfora’s sources believe GM Eric DeCosta would prioritize getting him out of the AFC and adding young, proven talent, not just draft picks, potentially in the secondary. 
• With that in mind, the Falcons and Panthers stand out as teams who need a quarterback and could offer a proven defensive back — CB Jaycee Horn for Carolina and CB AJ Terrell for Atlanta — a top-ten pick and probably some additional draft capital. Said one GM for another team: “That’s the kind of deal Eric makes. Really, all four teams in [the NFC South], you could see it. I just don’t think the Saints could make it work with their cap [issues]. But I think Tampa would spend, and it’s over for Brady there.”