Tom Brady - Pro Football Rumors

Patriots Prepared To Pay Tom Brady $30MM/Year

February 2nd, 2020 at 11:00am CST by Rory Parks

Tom Brady and the Patriots could very well extend their remarkably fruitful relationship into 2020 and beyond, and New England is prepared to do whatever it can to make that happen. Per Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network, the Pats are willing to pay Brady $30MM or more per season to get him to stay in Foxborough (video link).

That would bring Brady more in line with the pay of elite QBs around the league, but in addition to the size of his own contract, Brady wants the club to pony up some cash and/or draft capital to bring in more talent to surround him. The Pats were carried by their defense this year, and their general dearth of weapons at wide receiver and tight end proved to be costly down the stretch of the 2019 season and played a major role in their wildcard round defeat.

We have long heard that the Chargers could be among the non-Patriots suitors for Brady, and Rapoport confirms that the Bolts are expected to make a strong push for the legendary signal-caller. RapSheet notes in a written piece that the Chargers, who are prepared to move into an extravagant new stadium in LA, could incorporate Brady’s TB12 workout facility, which is important to Brady. Rapoport also mentions the Titans as a potential landing spot (depending, of course, on what they choose to do with Ryan Tannehill).

Meanwhile, the Patriots are working on contingency plans just in case they cannot convince Brady to rejoin them. One such option includes a trade for a veteran QB, and there could be several viable players on the trade market, including Cam Newton and Andy Dalton.

Latest On Tom Brady, Dolphins

January 31st, 2020 at 6:06pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Tom Brady sparked a frenzy earlier this week when he posted a cryptic photo of himself to Twitter. Although Adam Schefter of ESPN soon clarified in a tweet that it wasn’t a statement on his impending free agency, that didn’t stop the rumor mill from churning.

The potential new team for Brady “that continues to get the most buzz” is the Dolphins, according to Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com. While Brady going to a team that was in a full-blown rebuild this past season wasn’t something anybody has expected, there are at least some connections. Dolphins head coach Brian Flores spent 15 seasons with Brady in New England, and there are other ex-Patriots on staff.

Florio also highlights the presence of Dolphins owner Stephen Ross’ business partner Bruce Beal. Florio writes that there has been talk of “Beal buying the team and selling a sliver of it to Brady.” One league source told Florio “that a sale to Beal is possible not long after” Miami finishes hosting the Super Bowl. All that being said, Ross himself quickly threw some cold water on all the speculation.

Responding to the report he might sell the team, Ross said “I have no interest in selling the team. Zero. Got it? People can write what they want to write. I’m going to own it until I die,” per David Wilson of The Miami Herald (Twitter link). Beal still appears to be Ross’ successor as owner, but it doesn’t sound like he’s selling anytime soon. Ross, 79, also didn’t sound overly enthused about the possibility of adding Brady.

Ross said “we’re building” and that “people are writing about it. People need something to write about,” when asked about the Brady rumors, via Armando Salguero of The Miami Herald (Twitter link). It would’ve been very entertaining to see Brady stay in the AFC East and play the Pats twice a year, but it doesn’t seem too likely as of right now.

Patriots Rumors: Videotaping, Brady, Gronk

January 29th, 2020 at 4:33pm CST by Zachary Links

The league’s investigation into the Patriots’ videotaping incident is still ongoing, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell confirmed on Wednesday. The process has already taken roughly two months and Goodell says he won’t rush things along.

“Our responsibility is to make sure we’re being extremely thorough,” Goodell said (via Ryan Hannable of WEEI). “We have a responsibility to 31 other clubs, we have a responsibility to partners, we have a responsibility to fans understand all of what happened, and to make sure that something that we don’t know happened didn’t happen. And so, from our standpoint we want to make sure we are being thorough. Our team has been on it. We have been focused on this. I think it has not been that lengthy of time. We obviously put the focus on it, but we are going to get it right. When we come to a conclusion, we’ll certainly make sure that people are aware of it.”

When the investigation finally wraps, the Patriots may face fines and/or the forfeiture of a draft pick.

Here’s more from New England:

During his Super Bowl week media availability, Rob Gronkowski was, predictably, asked about the possibility of returning to football. The longtime Patriots tight end, in turn, gave a predictable answer that won’t do much to silence the speculation. “Oh, man, I don’t know,” Gronkowski said when asked if he’ll ever come out of retirement. “I’m a young guy — 30 years old. I still love to workout, stay in shape. Like I said, I’ve answered this question many, many times. I will never say complete no, because I love playing sports. I love competing.”
Meanwhile, Gronk says he supports Tom Brady‘s desire to explore free agency this offseason (via Nick Goss of NBC Sports). “He’s going to be a free agent for the first time ever. Good for him,” Gronk said. “Test out the market, and then do what’s best for himself. That’s the decision he has to make — what’s best for himself, what’s best for his family, what he feels like he’s going to love.”
Patriots offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia announced that he will retire this offseason. Scarnecchia spent 34 years on the Pats’ staff and served as an assistant for ten of their eleven Super Bowl appearances.

AFC Notes: Ravens, Brady, Mosley

January 26th, 2020 at 11:59am CST by Rory Parks

We heard at the end of December that the Ravens are prepared to slap pass rusher Matt Judon with the franchise tag if they cannot work out a long-term deal with him, but recent comments from head coach John Harbaugh suggested Judon could be suiting up elsewhere in 2020. Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic says Baltimore may be disinclined to use the tag, as it would take up a big chunk of their cap and could alienate the emotional and outspoken Judon.

On the other hand, Judon is the only proven pass rusher on the team, and there’s no guarantee the Ravens can win a bidding war for one of this year’s top FAs or land a player at the bottom of the first round of the draft who can make an immediate impact, so GM Eric DeCosta will have to carefully weigh a number of factors.

Let’s round up a few other AFC items, starting with several more nuggets out of Baltimore:

The Ravens and veteran CB Jimmy Smith have mutual interest in a reunion, per Zrebiec. However, if Baltimore brings back Smith, it’s unlikely that CB/S Brandon Carr also returns. Meanwhile, the Ravens will almost certainly cut safety Tony Jefferson.
Regardless of what they do with Judon, the Ravens will have to add three or four starting-caliber players to their front seven, so Zrebiec expects the team to focus on those areas heavily in the draft, and he fully expects DeCosta to draft a WR or two.
Add Jay Glazer of The Athletic to the list of pundits who believe a Tom Brady–Raiders partnership makes sense. Like others, Glazer thinks the Chargers are an obvious non-Patriots landing spot, but given the international presence that the Las Vegas outfit is expected to have, both Brady and the team would stand to benefit from a Sin City marriage.
In a recent interview with Eddie Paskal of the team’s official website, Raiders GM Mike Mayock said he believes the move to Las Vegas will help the club attract top free agents, even those not named Brady. The fact that Nevada does not have a state income tax will obviously be appealing, as will the sleek new stadium and the general excitement surrounding the franchise. Mayock also noted that he will look to add wide receiver help this offseason.
Jets LB C.J. Mosley had to undergo groin/abdominal surgery about six weeks ago, but he expects to be ready for the team’s offseason program this spring, per Rich Cimini of ESPN.com. One of last year’s biggest free agent fish, Mosley played in just two games for Gang Green, and he has started a vegan diet in the hopes of giving himself an edge.

Kraft: Patriots “Plan To” Keep Tom Brady

January 22nd, 2020 at 11:14am CST by Rory Parks

As expected, Tom Brady rumors have picked up steam over the past couple of days. It has been clear for some time that the chance of a split between the future Hall-of-Famer and the Patriots is as great as it’s ever been, but a return to Foxborough is still on the table.

And team owner Robert Kraft wants to see Brady back with the Pats for his age-43 season. Kraft was asked by a TMZ reporter on Tuesday if the Patriots are going to re-sign Brady, and Kraft said, “we plan to” (h/t Doug Kyed of NESN.com).

Of course, we recently heard that Brady is looking forward to exploring free agency, and even if he ultimately remains with the Patriots, it will not be before he has first had the opportunity to test the market. The Chargers continue to be mentioned as a possible landing spot for Brady, and the Colts and Raiders have also been named as speculative fits.

Brady is not the player he once was, but the fact that he is still playing is remarkable in and of itself. In 2019, the Pats were driven primarily by their defense, as Brady posted a fairly pedestrian 88.0 QB rating. But with a very underwhelming collection of talent at wide receiver and tight end, he still threw for over 4,000 yards and 24 TDs against just eight interceptions.

The Chargers boast much more receiving talent than the Patriots do at the moment, and they also have a running back in Austin Ekeler who is adept at catching passes out of the backfield (assuming the Bolts bring Ekeler back, which they almost certainly will). With a strong supporting cast, there is no reason to think Brady cannot play at a starter level for one or two more seasons.

Extra Points: Brady, Dalton, Dolphins, Lions

January 21st, 2020 at 9:52pm CST by Sam Robinson

Tom Brady news figures to be a rather common occurrence in this unusual offseason for the 20-year Patriots passer. Set for free agency for the first time, Brady is not expected to re-sign with the Patriots before free agency opens. The Chargers have surfaced again, with Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports noting that Brady will have the Bolts atop his list — if, in fact, he decides to leave New England. This is not the first Brady-Chargers link, but JLC adds that the 42-year-old quarterback would have a short list if he did legitimately decide to test free agency. The Chargers’ Los Angeles headquarters, which have not been especially beneficial to the franchise thus far, would appeal to Brady. The future Hall of Famer holds offseason workouts at USC and has previously lived in L.A. The Chargers are set to move into their new stadium, along with the Rams. Brady would certainly help on this front, with the team struggling to generate attention in its new market.

Here is the latest from around the league:

Andy Dalton and new Bears offensive coordinator Bill Lazor remain close, and JLC can envision this being a factor in how the quarterback dominoes fall during what could be a complex offseason at sports’ marquee position. Dalton “loved” playing for Lazor during his time as Bengals QBs coach and OC, per JLC. Although the Bears have committed to starting Mitchell Trubisky next season, he certainly has not lived up to his No. 2 overall draft slot and could be pushed like 2015 No. 2 pick Marcus Mariota was this season.
Patriots free agents Devin McCourty, Joe Thuney and Kyle Van Noy will likely have many suitors. One is expected to be the Dolphins, with Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writing that Brian Flores holds McCourty in high regard and that the team will pursue Thuney and Van Noy. All three are unrestricted free agents-to-be. Van Noy and McCourty played under Flores during his time as de facto Patriots defensive coordinator (2018), linebackers coach (2016-17) and safeties coach (2012-15). Van Noy and Thuney may price themselves out of New England.
Raekwon McMillan‘s 2019 season also helped sell the Dolphins on his long-term stock, Jackson adds. The Dolphins are interested in keeping the linebacker around long-term. McMillan rated as an upper-echelon linebacker, per Pro Football Focus, this season and became extension-eligible at season’s end. Under the Flores-Chris Grier setup, the Dolphins have already extended a few holdovers from the previous regime.
Damon Harrison revealed at the regular season’s end he is considering retirement, and the Lions are still waiting. They will likely not know Snacks’ plans for at least another few weeks, per the Detroit Free Press’ Dave Birkett. Thanks to the one-year add-on the Lions gave him in August, Harrison is under contract through 2021.
The Lions are expected to promote defensive assistant Steve Gregory to secondary coach, Birkett adds. The Lions hired Gregory, who played under Matt Patricia in New England, in 2018. Detroit fired DBs coach Brian Stewart after the season.

Tom Brady Unlikely To Re-Sign With Pats Before Free Agency

January 19th, 2020 at 9:05am CST by Rory Parks

If the Patriots are going to re-sign Tom Brady, they would like to do it before March 17. As Ben Volin of the Boston Globe reminds us, Brady’s present contract voids on that day, meaning that his $6.75MM cap hits for 2020 and 2021 will accelerate onto New England’s 2020 cap. The same will be true even if the Pats and Brady re-up for one season, but if they agree to a two-year pact, the team could at least spread the dead money hit of $13.5MM over the next two seasons.

However, sources tell Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports that it would be “extremely surprising” if Brady were to agree to a new deal with the Pats before March 17, and Brady is preparing to discuss a future with other teams. A reunion with New England is not out of the question, but it is far from a certainty at this point.

La Canfora says Brady, who will turn 43 prior to the start of next season, will “do his due diligence to assess all realistic possibilities,” and he is anxious to embrace free agency for the first time in his career.

Neither Volin nor La Canfora offered any speculation as to which teams could be interested in Brady, but the Chargers have frequently been mentioned as a possibility, and the Colts and Raiders also make sense to some degree. One way or another, the Pats legend wants to serve as a mentor to a young QB and leave whatever franchise he ends up with in good shape when he does decide to retire.

NFL Draft Rumors: Lions, Giants, Dolphins

January 9th, 2020 at 9:52am CST by Zachary Links

Here’s the latest NFL Draft buzz from Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller:

Miller would be positively stunned if the Bengals don’t draft LSU quarterback Joe Burrow No. 1 overall and the Redskins don’t grab Ohio State defensive end Chase Young with the No. 2 pick.
With that in mind, Miller feels the draft truly starts at No. 3 overall, where the Lions pick. Sources tell Miller that they’ll look heavily at Ohio State cornerback Jeff Okudah and Auburn defensive lineman Derrick Brown. Then again, it’s a prime trade-back spot – teams like the Dolphins, Chargers, and Panthers could move up to land a QB.
Unless new head coach Joe Judge sways him in a different direction, Giants GM Dave Gettleman is expected to look at edge-rushers, left tackles, and wide receivers with the No. 4 pick. “He can’t help himself with linemen, so slot your top-rated offensive tackle there,” one scout who previously worked with Gettleman said. Alabama’s Jedrick Wills Jr. and Georgia’s Andrew Thomas rank among the top tackles in this year’s crop.
No team has done more work on Oregon’s Justin Herbert than the Dolphins, who own the No. 5 pick and two more selections later on, Miller writes. The Dolphins will almost certainly go QB here, then shift their attention to offensive tackle, edge-rusher, and running back help.
The same source who tipped Miller off to the Cardinals‘ love of Kyler Murray last year says they’re wild about Oklahoma wide receiver CeeDee Lamb. But, internally, they also feel that the offensive line need is too big to overlook.
The Raiders, with two picks in the first round, are looking to go defense and wide receiver, Miller hears.
The Bills are already nervous about other teams leapfrogging them for wide receivers, Miller hears. The Bills own the No. 22 overall pick and nine total selections in the draft.
The Patriots are impossible to read, but none of Miller’s sources believe that they’ll draft a quarterback early on. Tom Brady has vowed to continue playing, but he’ll also explore his options in free agency.

Patriots’ Tom Brady Won’t Retire

January 8th, 2020 at 8:48am CST by Zachary Links

Tom Brady‘s season is over, but his career will continue. On Wednesday, Brady took to social media to declare that he will continue playing in 2020.

“You don’t always win. You can, however, learn from that failure, pick yourself up with great enthusiasm, and place yourself in the arena again. And that’s right where you will find me,” Brady wrote. “Because I know I still have more to prove.”

Not everyone would agree that Brady still has more to prove, even after the Patriots’ surprising ouster at the hands of the Titans. Brady, who will turn 43 before the start of the 2020 season, is a six-time Super Bowl champ, three-time MVP, 14-time Pro Bowler, and, undeniably, one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game.

Meanwhile, Brady is on course to reach free agency for the first time in his career. The Patriots are reportedly willing to allow Brady to explore his options, even though they do not have any other viable options at the position.

For his part, owner Robert Kraft doesn’t want to see Brady in another uniform.

“Before the season started it was very important to Tom that he be free to do whatever he wanted at the end of the year. You know what I said to myself? That any person who plays 20 years for this team and helps us get to nine Super Bowls, and been really selfless, has earned that right,” Kraft said recently. “And you know, my hope and prayer is No. 1, he play for the Patriots. Or No. 2, he retires. … But I just hope and pray we fit into his plans.”

Latest On Tom Brady, Patriots

January 6th, 2020 at 6:50pm CST by Sam Robinson

His season complete after Round 1 for the first time since the 2009 season, Tom Brady is on the doorstep of free agency for the first time. As of now, the Patriots’ 42-year-old quarterback is not planning to retire. Brady followed up those comments soon after and did not sound like someone ready to leave the game.

“I’ll explore those opportunities whenever they are. If it’s the Patriots, great. If that doesn’t work, I don’t know. I just don’t know,” Brady said, via Peter King of NBC Sports. “I love playing football. I still want to play football. I think I still can play at a championship level. I’ve just got to go do it. I’m motivated to get back to work and training.”

Brady received a pay raise from the Patriots last year, but Tom Curran of NBC Sports notes the future first-ballot Hall of Famer wanted the type of extension Drew Brees received from the Saints in 2018. Brees re-upped for two years and $50MM two Marches ago, while the Patriots preferred a year-to-year arrangement entering his age-42 season. Brady would become a free agent in March and do so for the first time.

Robert Kraft has frequently made clear he does not want the all-time great playing for another team. The Patriots owner told King it was difficult to approve Brady’s request for 2020 flexibility, and he now hopes the team fits into the passer’s plans.

“Before the season started it was very important to Tom that he be free to do whatever he wanted at the end of the year. You know what I said to myself? That any person who plays 20 years for this team and helps us get to nine Super Bowls, and been really selfless, has earned that right,” Kraft said. “And you know, my hope and prayer is No. 1, he play for the Patriots. Or No. 2, he retires. … But I just hope and pray we fit into his plans.”

Bill Belichick will play a key role in determining if Brady is back. But rather than give the 20-year veteran a raise, Belichick is likely to allow Brady to see what his options are in free agency, Curran adds. With 38-year-old Philip Rivers a free agent-to-be, the Chargers have been linked to Brady. The Raiders could loom as a dark horse, King writes.

Having traded Jimmy Garoppolo to the 49ers years ago, the Patriots do not have a realistic Brady heir apparent that would keep them on this level. Allowing Brady to walk would create a fascinating scenario where this century’s premier franchise must aggressively chase a quarterback. At the same time, the Pats will likely need to upgrade their pass-catching corps to entice Brady to return.