2020 NFL Free Agency: 5 Teams who should target QB Philip Rivers

2019 Starting QB: Tom Brady

Cap Space: $44,124,477

Before I begin, this scenario all pivots on the return or departure of all-time great quarterback Tom Brady. Plenty of speculation has been made and everyone has their own take on his Super Bowl ‘Hulu’ commercial. Obviously Brady would need to leave for another team if New England were to make a run at Rivers.

There has been plenty of talk that New England has been keeping their eye on Andy Dalton as a trade-target and bridge quarterback during their transition between franchise quarterbacks, which makes plenty of sense. Dalton is likely to be replaced in Cincinnati by Joe Burrow and has lost his place within the Bengals depth chart. New England would be a great destination for ‘The Red Rifle’ and give him a chance at a career revival.

Rivers, on the other hand, is a much safer play just comparing regular-season success throughout their careers. Whether the lack of playoff success in Cincinnatti can be attributed to Dalton is up in the air, but Rivers is a veteran presence who could not only lead a young locker room at Gilette Stadium but could also revive his legacy with the team that has tarnished it in so many postseasons past.

Acquiring Rivers would also be a different kind of cost to New England, sacrificing cap space instead of the mid-round draft capital that has made Bill Belichick one of the most successful team managers in NFL history. Rivers and Dalton both hold value as players, but the difference in the currency for their price tags could be a deciding factor in bringing Rivers to New England.