Tom Brady

Patriots Notes: Kraft, Kaepernick, Brady, Gronk

May 19th, 2018 at 9:03am CST by Ben Levine

Add Robert Kraft to the list of executives and coaches who have been deposed in the collusion grievance filed by Colin Kaepernick. TMZ reports that the Patriots owner gave his deposition to lawyers yesterday. Seahawks coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider were deposed earlier this week, as was Broncos general manager John Elway.

We learned back in October that Kaepernick had planned a grievance against the NFL, claiming that teams conspired to keep him out of the league. The whole situation stems from the quarterback’s decision to kneel during the national anthem back in 2016. A five-year starter in San Francisco, the 30-year-old was unable to find a gig during the 2017 campaign.

While the Broncos and Seahawks had been connected to Kaepernick, the Patriots never showed any reported interest in the embattled quarterback. Of course, Kraft has enough clout around the NFL, so he could provide lawyers with valuable information. While Kaepernick was present for previous depositions, it’s uncertain whether he attend Kraft’s.

Let’s take a look at some more notes out of New England…

Tom Brady has yet to attend the team’s voluntary OTAs, and ESPN’s Mike Reiss writes that his absence shouldn’t be cause for concern. Former Patriots players Matt Chatham and Rob Ninkovich said Brady’s decision to spend time with his family “isn’t a big deal,” although it might be notable if the quarterback misses the “third phase” of the workouts. As Reiss writes, this is the point of OTAs that Brady generally builds a rapport with his new wideouts. With three new receivers on the roster (including Jordan Matthews, Cordarrelle Patterson, and rookie Braxton Berrios), it might be telling if Brady also sits out this portion of OTAs.
The Patriots adjusted receiver Phillip Dorsett‘s contract earlier this week, but Reiss writes the move “shouldn’t have a trickle-down effect” on a Rob Gronkowski extension. The Patriots saved around $300K thanks to the new contract, and the renegotiation was more about Dorsett’s standing on the roster. The organization could have easily cut bait with the wideout, but the reduced salary means he can stick around and compete for a roster spot.
In case you missed it, the Patriots signed offensive lineman Jason King yesterday. This is the Purdue product’s third stint with the organization, and he was waived by New England only last week. To make room on the roster, the team waived wideout Chris Lacy. The Oklahoma State product had joined the team as an undrafted free agent earlier this month.

Patriots Notes: Mayfield, Gillislee, Brady

May 6th, 2018 at 10:38am CST by Rory Parks

We recently heard that the Patriots were just one of two teams to rate Baker Mayfield as the best quarterback in this year’s draft, and Mayfield’s agent, Jack Mills, indicated that New England may have been willing to move up to the No. 2 overall pick to land his client. However, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com is not so sure. He thinks the Patriots wanted to meet with Mayfield as part of their thorough scouting process, but if they did not sell Mills on the potential that they could make a big move up, Mills would not have wasted Mayfield’s time with a New England visit. Reiss does not believe the Pats would have jumped from No. 23 to No. 2 even if Mayfield was still on the board.

Now for more notes out of Foxborough:

The Patriots have not officially announced their 2018 crop of UDFAs, but as Reiss observes, they have signed Vanderbilt running back Ralph Webb and gave him a $70K guarantee, which clearly makes him a priority signing with a decent chance of making the final roster. In a separate piece, Reiss says that Mike Gillislee, who opened the 2017 campaign as New England’s No. 1 back, is now fighting for a roster spot. With new first-round pick Sony Michel and veterans Rex Burkhead and James White considered locks, Gillislee will battle Webb, Jeremy Hill, and Brandon Bolden for one or two spots. The former Bill could be cut with no dead money ramifications.
When he was recently asked if he felt appreciated by Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft, Tom Brady replied with a joke/non-answer. It is unclear whether Brady actually feels underappreciated by the other two most important figures within the organization, but Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk believes the club should ante up and pay Brady a salary more in line with the top of the market. Brady’s $20.5MM AAV is now 16th among all quarterbacks, and Florio believes the Pats should rectify that to some degree.
The news continues to be good for 2017 third-rounder Derek Rivers. Reiss says Rivers, who tore his ACL last August and missed his entire rookie campaign, is expected to be ready for the start of training camp.
Earlier this week, ESPN’s Mel Kiper named Patriots’ sixth-round WR Braxton Berrios as one of the 2018 late-round selections most likely to make an immediate impact.

Tom Brady Discusses Patriots, Belichick

May 2nd, 2018 at 4:47pm CST by Zachary Links

In an appearance at the Milken Institute Global Conference in California, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady reaffirmed his commitment to football and, specifically, playing football for the Patriots. However, not everything is necessarily rosy between the team and its star player. Here’s a look at the highlights from Brady’s event, courtesy of ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss and Ben Volin of The Boston Globe:

On staying away from the team’s voluntary offseason program:

“Part of this offseason for me is certainly about still preparing for what’s ahead in my next journey, my next mountain to climb with this group of teammates, but it’s also [acknowledging] that a lot of people are getting the short end of the stick in my life — certainly my wife and my kids. Football is year-round for me. It’s a lot of thought, a lot of energy and emotion put into it, but I need to invest in them, too. My kids are 10, 8 and 5. They’re not getting younger, so I need to take time so I can be available to them, too. … I’ve really spent the last two or three months doing those things, and I think I’m really trying to fill my tank up so that when I do go back, I can go back and I think I’ll actually be, in my mind, a better player, a better teammate, because I’ll be really rejuvenated.”

On how much longer he’ll play:

“I’ve talked two years with my wife [Gisele Bündchen]. I’ve negotiated that thus far. I’ve still got a little further to go.”

On whether he feels appreciated by those he works with and for:

“Yeah. I would say absolutely. And in general, I’m a very happy person. I’m a very positive person. It’s just my personality, I always look at things as the glass is half full. I think there are different times; when you’ve been on the same team for a long time, you have relationships for a long time, they ebb and flow like every relationship. But there are no people I’d rather play for or be committed to than the team I’ve been with for a long time, and really the fans and the community.”

On whether he feels appreciated by coach Bill Belichick and owner Robert Kraft, specifically:

“I plead the Fifth!,” Brady joked. “I think everybody in general wants to be appreciated more in their professional life, but there’s a lot of people that appreciate me way more than I ever thought was possible as part of my life. You have different influences in your life and the people I work with, they’re trying to get the best out of me. So they’re trying to treat me in the way they feel is going to get the best out of me, and I’ve got to get the best out of myself.”

On Belichick:

“We’ve had a great relationship, a very respectful relationship for a long time. I feel like he’s the best coach in the history of the NFL. He has a management style [with] players, and he would say, ‘Look, I’m not the easiest coach to play for.’ I agree. He’s not the easiest coach to play for.”

Tom Brady’s Agent Says He’ll Play In 2018

April 23rd, 2018 at 12:57pm CST by Zachary Links

Tom Brady reportedly hasn’t told the Patriots that he’ll play for them in 2018, but his agent says there’s no real uncertainty. Don Yee expects Brady to return to the field, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com writes.

“Tom’s intentions have not changed,” Yee said Monday. “He’s consistently said he’ll play beyond this contract and into his mid-40s, or until he feels he isn’t playing at a championship level. I understand the constant speculation, but this is one point he’s been firm about.”

Last week, multiple sources told Schefter that Brady’s status was up in the air. One source said there was a “75% chance” of Brady coming back, which means a 25% chance that he would not be back. Since then, word has surfaced that Brady wants to continue playing, but he would like a new contract from the team. Yee admitted that Brady, “like every player,” pays attention to his financials, but he continues to train every day.

“He customizes his preparation to each season in order to maximize his performance,” Yee said. “His training methods are always evolving and getting better. The year he missed the first four games — that month of training on his own was particularly efficient.”

In all likelihood, it sounds like Brady will continue to play into his age-41 season and intends to keep going well beyond 2018. The Patriots may need to address his contract, however, in order to keep their star player happy. As it stands, Brady is set to carry below-market cap numbers of $22MM in each of the next two seasons.

East Rumors: Giants, Bryant, Patriots, Brady

April 20th, 2018 at 2:38pm CST by Zachary Links

Dez Bryant took to Instagram to post a video of him working out with Giants star Odell Beckham Jr., fueling speculation that he could land with the Giants. Bryant has been vocal about his desire to sign with the G-Men, but it’s not clear if that interest is being reciprocated by GM Dave Gettleman.

Earlier this week, Brandon Marshall posted – then deleted – a post of his own on Instagram in which he informed Bryant that there was “no room” for him in the Giants’ locker room. Days later, the Giants released Marshall, so there could be room for the three-time Pro Bowler in New York after all.

Here’s more from the East divisions:

Was Patriots quarterback Tom Brady ever considering retirement? At least two of his teammates aren’t buying it. Two Pats players tell Mike Giardi of NBC Sports Boston (on Twitter) that they’ve spoken to him this offseason, including discussions about the upcoming season, and he’s never indicated he wasn’t playing/retiring. Brady is also continuing his normal workout regimen/diet, even while in Qatar, according to the players. Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL.com hear that Brady will indeed play in 2018, though he would like a new contract.
Meanwhile, Brady already has made arrangements to get together with some of his Patriots teammates between the end of the offseason program and the start of training camp, a source with knowledge of the situation tells Mike Florio of PFT.
Eagles vice president of player personnel Joe Douglas wonders if it will be tougher for the team to land quality undrafted free agents this year because of perception that it will be tough to make the final cut on a deep roster (Twitter link via NJ.com’s Eliot Shorr-Parks).
In speaking with reporters, Douglas also noted that there have been many running backs from all parts drafts that have contributed right off of the bat with their teams (Twitter link via Shorr-Parks). That could give some insight into the Eagles’ plans heading into next week’s draft.

Tom Brady Will Play In 2018, Wants New Contract

April 18th, 2018 at 5:58pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Tom Brady will indeed suit up for the 2018 campaign, but he’d like a new contract from the Patriots prior to the season getting underway, according to Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL.com.

Earlier today, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reported that while most close to Brady expected he would return for New England for another year, the future Hall of Famer hadn’t officially committed to continuing his career. Per the NFL.com scribes, Brady is not giving any thought to an immediate retirement, and the Patriots are planning as if he will be their starting quarterback.

While Brady is hoping to work out a fresh deal before the season begins, his contractual status is “not driving” his absence from voluntary workouts, tweets Garafolo. In fact, it doesn’t seem as though a new pact is a pressing issue, as Garafolo notes the most important matter on the table is determining Brady’s “short- and long-term future.”

Brady, who has long been a bargain by quarterback contract standards, is currently signed through the 2019 campaign. In each of the next two years, he’s scheduled to earn a base salary of $15MM, while $7MM of annually prorated signing bonus money will bring the 40-year-old’s cap charges to $22MM in each season.

New England, of course, dealt Jimmy Garoppolo to the 49ers at the 2017 trade deadline, so the club doesnt’t currently have a youthful quarterback on its roster. Veteran Brian Hoyer is the only signal-caller aside from Brady on the Patriots’ depth chart, but the team has been linked to a number of quarterback prospects leading up to the 2018 draft.

Tom Brady Has Not Committed To Playing For Patriots In 2018

April 18th, 2018 at 8:54am CST by Zachary Links

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady still has yet to commit to playing in 2018, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter hears. Those close to Brady believe that he will suit up again, but there is some room for doubt since Brady has not pledged to play.

“My money would be on him playing football for the foreseeable future, but what goes on away from the football field, I don’t know,” one source told ESPN.

Brady, 41 in August, still wants to continue playing. However, Schefter hears that some around Brady want him to retire. That may include close family members who would rather see Brady enjoy his millions of dollars instead of risking brain trauma.

Before the Super Bowl, Brady said that he would continue playing next season. Apparently, some combination of the loss, the deterioration of his relationship with coach Bill Belichick, and the opinions of his inner circle have swayed him over the last ten weeks.

Even at age 40, Brady was terrific in 2017, leading the league in passing yards on the way to his third MVP trophy. The veteran is signed through the 2019 campaign with a team-friendly $15MM base salary ($22MM cap hit).

Meanwhile, teammate Rob Gronkowski is also considering retirement. It’s not clear whether the standout tight end is serious about walking away or if he is angling for a new deal.

Patriots Notes: Brady, Belichick, Guerrero

April 15th, 2018 at 10:30am CST by Rory Parks

It’s no secret that there is some tension among the three most prominent figures in the Patriots’ organization: owner Robert Kraft, head coach Bill Belichick, and quarterback Tom Brady. As Ben Volin of the Boston Globe writes, one of the sources of conflict between Belichick and Brady is the role of Brady’s personal trainer, Alex Guerrero.

Belichick, of course, wants one voice when it comes to his team’s strength and conditioning program, so he wants his players to adhere to programs established by head strength coach, Moses Cabrera, and head trainer, Jim Whalen. But by the middle of last season, approximately 30 of the Patriots’ 53 players were seeing Guerrero regularly, either in Gillette Stadium or at the TB12 facility at Patriot Place. Guerrero’s methods clash with the more traditional approaches set forth by Cabrera and Whalen, and Belichick revoked Guerrero’s special privileges after the bye week last season (although he did not ban players from seeing Guerrero).

We heard back in January that Guerrero’s presence was creating some problems in New England’s locker room, and Volin’s story provides some interesting context to those reports.

Now for more news out of Foxborough:

Kraft is not concerned about extending Brady’s contract, and Volin notes that there is no reason for the team to do so at this point. Brady is under club control through the 2019 campaign, and his cap number of $22MM is reasonable given his ability, importance to the franchise, and the quarterback market.
For the second consecutive year, Brady is unlikely to be present for the first day of the Patriots’ offseason program, per Volin, which is somewhat curious given that he has been a “devout offseason participant” in prior years. But as Brady’s absence is tied to his appearance as a Best Buddies Global Ambassador in Qatar, Volin is not putting much stock in it until Brady starts to miss more time. Mike Reiss of ESPN.com says Belichick “went out of his way” to hint that he and Brady have at least one talk in that regard. Belichick said, “[The offseason program] will be heavily attended, but I know there are a couple players that I’ve talked to that have other commitments, but that’s the way it always is. So, not really anything new there.”
Volin says the Pats do have the ammunition to move up in the draft to select one of this year’s top signal-callers if they want to, though it remains more likely that they will stand pat.
In the same piece linked above, Reiss reports that the Patriots have hired Cameron Achord as an assistant coach. Achord has ties to special teams coach Joe Judge, and he has already been on the scouting trail on behalf of the Patriots.
It was previously reported that Brady was a big reason for Jordan Matthews‘ decision to sign with the Patriots, but as Reiss notes, Matthews was impressed with the organization as a whole. Matthews said, “There was a lot of intentionality during the visit. They were very detailed. They were very specific with me on what they thought about me and areas they thought I could grow. I appreciated that more than anything. I appreciated that type of honesty.”
We learned yesterday that the Patriots did not come close to matching the two-year, $12MM deal that Danny Amendola signed with the Dolphins, which made Amendola’s decision to leave New England a little easier.

Patriots Notes: Matthews, Mitchell, QBs

April 8th, 2018 at 8:26pm CST by Sam Robinson

While Tom Brady may be a year-to-year proposition following the 2018 season, his timeline may not matter to Jordan Matthews since the receiver signed only a one-year deal with the Patriots. And the wideout factored the future Hall of Fame quarterback into his decision considerably. Matthews wanted to catch passes from Brady, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com notes. The reigning NFL MVP is still near the peak of his powers despite going into his age-41 season, and Matthews made a point to include two of the game’s premier quarterbacks in his free agency tour. Matthews visited the Packers and Patriots, with Titans and Cardinals stops being on his spring itinerary as well, but he will spend a year in New England. The fifth-year receiver has done his most prominent NFL work in the slot, but Julian Edelman is due back this season. Reiss reports Matthews had other offers. The Cardinals extended one to him before signing Brice Butler. Matthews faced the Patriots once last season while with the Bills but did his best work — three 800-plus-yard seasons — with the Eagles.

Here’s the latest out of New England:

Malcolm Mitchell also figures to be a part of Brady’s receiving corps in 2018 after missing all of his second season with a knee injury. He’s expected to be ready for OTAs, per Reiss, and has been working with Alex Guererro at the TB12 Sports Therapy Center.
Troy Niklas may not factor in prominently in Brady’s arsenal, having caught just 19 passes in four seasons and being known for his blocking more. But Reiss notes a knock on the former Cardinals tight end has been that his physicality doesn’t match up with what would be expected from a 6-foot-6, 270-pound player. Should he make the New England roster, it’s likely he’ll be asked to block plenty considering Rob Gronkowski is expected back.
The Patriots may be taking a flier on Luke Bowanko because of his versatility. Reiss writes Bowanko worked at all five offensive line spots in practice while with the Jaguars, and Bill Belichick values an assorted skill set. An interior lineman in games, Bowanko would seemingly be in line for a swing backup job if he were to make the 53-man roster.
Belichick’s history and the Patriots’ need for talent capable of helping the near-future rosters points to New England not pulling off a blockbuster trade for a quarterback, Tom Curran of NBC Sports Boston writes. Curran expects Brady to at least play out his through-2019 contract before evaluating if he wants to play what would be a 21st season in 2020. Although, Robert Kraft said the team needs to think about taking a quarterback this year since there is no longer a viable succession plan after the Jimmy Garoppolo trade.

Tom Brady Confirms He’ll Play In 2018

February 4th, 2018 at 4:03pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Tom Brady and the TB12 method will return for yet another NFL campaign, as the Patriots quarterback confirmed in a pre-Super Bowl interview with Westwood One’s Jim Gray that he will indeed play in 2018.

“Yeah, you’re gonna see me playing football next year,” Brady said. “I don’t envision not playing. You’re at the end of the race but you’ve got your biggest mountain to climb right at the end. Hopefully all the lessons we’ve learned have allowed us to be at our very best for this moment and that’s what it’s going to take and that’s what we’re prepared for and that’s what I go out and expect our team to do.”

Even at age-40, Brady was terrific in 2017, leading the league in passing yardage on the way to his third MVP trophy. Reported turmoil in the Patriots’ organization had lent some credence to the notion that Brady could retire after the season, but New England has refuted many of the details in that original ESPN.com report. Both Brady and head coach Bill Belichick are expected to return for a 19th season together.

Brady, who will attempt to secure his sixth career Super Bowl title later today, is signed through the 2019 campaign. Next season, he’ll earn a $15MM base salary and count for $22MM on the Patriots’ salary cap.

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