Tom Brady ranked third among potential free-agent QBs for 2023

NFL Media's Gregg Rosenthal thinks Tampa Bay Buccaneers starter Tom Brady is not the No. 1 quarterback currently on track to hit free agency in early 2023. 

In fact, Rosenthal doesn't have Brady in his top two. 

In his updated list of the top 51 free agents for when the new NFL year opens in March 2023, Rosenthal placed both Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens and Geno Smith of the Seattle Seahawks ahead of Brady. Jackson is first overall among all players, Smith is third, and Brady is sixth. 

Jackson is playing out the final months of his rookie contract, and Rosenthal admitted "there is absolutely no reason to believe" that the Ravens will let the one-time NFL Most Valuable Player who turns 26 in January hit the open market. Smith is a Comeback Player of the Year candidate who is only 32 and who has outperformed Brady this season as it pertains to numerous stats. 

According to ESPN, Smith leads the league among qualified passers with a 70.7% completion percentage and is ranked fifth with a 63.4 total QBR. He's eighth with 3,886 passing yards and tied for fourth with 27 touchdowns through the air. 

To compare, Brady enters this weekend 23rd with a 49.5 total QBR, 13th with a 66.0% completion percentage, fourth with 4,178 passing yards, and tied for 13th with 21 passing touchdowns. Both Smith and Brady have tossed nine interceptions. 

"For most of this season, Brady has played like a guy who would still excel if surrounded by the right coaching and pieces," Rosenthal noted. "The stretch run (7:7 TD-to-INT ratio since Week 13) has been cause for concern." 

Rosenthal failed to point out that the Buccaneers are dead last with an average of 77.0 rushing yards per game after 16 weeks. It's probably also worth mentioning Brady owns seven Super Bowl rings and is one of the greatest all-time winners in the history of North American team sports. 

It was reported earlier this month that the "market should be ripe" for Brady if he wishes to continue playing beyond his 46th birthday that he'll celebrate next August. Assuming the Ravens retain Jackson's rights via the franchise tag as many expect, logic suggests Brady will attract more attention than Smith after Super Bowl LVII from would-be suitors such as the Las Vegas Raiders.