Are you scared of Brady playing in preseason games?

By Chad Garner

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

If you were the head coach of the New England Patriots, would you play superstar quarterback Tom Brady in preseason games?

Sure, why not. 

But wait.

I'm starting to get that nervous feeling in my gut that the all-everything franchise quarterback could be in serious danger if he suits up and plays in these final three preseason games.

Call me crazy, I know, but I'm starting not to like it.

One game was fine against the Eagles. Brady's surgically repaired knee looks good, he held up under pressure, moved perfectly fine in the pocket, made his reads and got rid of the football with accuracy and heat on the ball.

All systems go in my book.

But I don't really think he's got anything else to prove in the preseason.

I know he wants to shake off all the rust since he sat out all of last year after his season ended in the first game against Kansas City. 

But I'm nervous to see him slinging it in preseason games, aren't you?

I know he's going to get hit many times during the regular season and he's probably going to get hit on the knee a few times (fingers crossed that it holds up), but I'd rather that happen when games actually matter instead of the preseason.

I'd like to think Brady, a three-time Super Bowl champion and a first-ballot Hall of Famer when he retires, isn't playing in the preseason to secure his spot as the No. 1 quarterback on the team. The team, especially the receivers and tight ends, have a lot to gain with Brady under center. Brady can gain a lot, too, especially the mental aspect of coming back from serious injury (he should know he's ready to play now, though). He also does get his chance to see live game action, get the speed of the game down pat again and work on his timing, his reads and everything else that goes into being the best signal-caller in the NFL.

But I'm perfectly fine with Brady working his tail off in practice, holding the clipboard on the sidelines in the last three preseason games and getting ready for the first game of the season -- a Monday Night showdown against Terrell Owens and the Buffalo Bills.

Call me crazy, but I'm just nervous seeing No. 12 in meaningless preseason games.