Tom Brady expects the Patriots to take the first step by offering their quarterback a new contract. But there is no visible progress, and the lack of progress leads to unpredictable consequences. And everyone who follows the situation is interested in the answer to the same question.
“What do the Patriots do?”
The decision on Brady’s contract directly affects the entire Patriots roster. By the beginning of the combine, the Pats had no plans to meet with Brady and discuss the details of a new agreement, and there is no evidence that such plans had appeared. Although there is already a scouting Combine in the yard, and there is not much time left before the opening of the free-agent market.
Based on the results of communication with different specialists, I am ready to note the following.
- Try putting yourself in Brady’s shoes. Other teams offer you a lot of money, and your current employer hasn’t even started discussing your salary. Wouldn’t you be thinking about a new job right now? But, again, all these arguments are relevant exactly as long as Belichick and Caserio do not make their offer.
- It is also likely (and very likely) that Brady will have to make a discount to the Patriots if he wants to stay since the New England offer is unlikely to be among the largest. And the interest from other teams only confirms this theory, if the Patriots could make an offer that they do not refuse, there would be no backstage conversations about other teams.
Patriots themselves understand this. And they probably have a plan in case Brady leaves. because Brady becomes a free agent, parting ways will be the fault of the team, not the player. Considering that this is Tom Brady, it is strange that this situation has developed. But the Contracting parties still have enough time, and they will be able to extend their relationship by exchanging the third decade of their life together.
- Another factor to keep in mind. A new Collective Agreement is currently being actively discussed. If the deal is approved in the coming weeks, it will affect the structure of Brady’s contract. Yes, this does not explain the silence of the Patriots, but at least this factor should be taken into account. And the factor of the new Agreement is not so important for other teams, which in any case will have to fork out the maximum, trying to get a quarterback.
One front-office employee described the impact of the new Agreement as follows: “if it is not about minimum contracts, teams are more reluctant than usual to consider potential deals with players, as they do not understand how the football economy will work in 2020. For the Patriots, this situation is normal, they will wait until the end of the Combine and only then sit down at the negotiating table, but many teams this offseason are going to follow their example since the situation with the new Collective Agreement is still far from certain.”
Brady knows how much he can earn in the market and is ready to defend his financial position after the start of negotiations. But until they begin, the Patriots will attract increased attention throughout the NFL, as one decision could change the entire football market this offseason.
