We heard earlier this week that the Patriots made “no tangible effort” to retain Tom Brady, which drove Brady to leave Foxborough. Mike Reiss of ESPN.com paints a slightly different picture with respect to Brady’s departure, saying that Brady himself believed he had squeezed everything he could out of his relationship with head coach Bill Belichick (who may have felt similarly). Had Belichick approached Brady and suggested that the two sides do what they could to make sure the six-time Super Bowl champ finished his career with the Pats, Brady may have been receptive, but that is not Belichick’s style, and Brady never really expected that to happen.
The Patriots’ usual impersonal approach to their business, which has served them quite well over the past two decades, also played a role. The Pats generally withhold offers from players they are interested in retaining but who are allowed to test the market. That way, they avoid bidding against themselves and insulting the player, but by keeping an open dialogue, they are able to pounce if the price is right. In Brady’s case, no negotiations took place since August, and player and team may have been waiting for each other to make the first move.
Now for more from Foxborough:
- So where do the Patriots go from here? Although New England is among the league leaders in dead cap charges for 2020 ($23MM), Reiss believes the club is in line for a reboot, not a rebuild. The Pats have a much rosier financial outlook in 2021, when they are projected to have roughly $100MM of cap space, so Reiss suggests they will look to get younger and clean up their cap situation this year so they can take full advantage of their flexibility next season.
- Ben Volin of the Boston Globe is more pessimistic about the Pats’ immediate prospects (though he does say that the salary cap ramifications stemming from a theoretical Brady re-up made it more logical for the team to part ways). He believes the club is in for a difficult rebuild, and while there do not appear to be any concrete trade rumblings, he suggests that New England could look into dealing WR Julian Edelman and CB Stephon Gilmore.
- Indeed, Gilmore — the reigning Defensive Player of the Year — could be seeking a raise after seeing less accomplished CBs get PAID this offseason, and dealing him would certainly yield a nice return of draft capital. It depends, presumably, on whether the Patriots feel they can retool on the fly or need to tear down.
- Despite being connected to Bengals’ QB Andy Dalton in offseason rumors, the Patriots have not discussed Dalton, per Jeff Howe of The Athletic (via Twitter). We heard several days ago that New England would instead seek a cheaper veteran, and Howe suggests former Patriot Brian Hoyer could be in play (Twitter link). Hoyer, who was released by the Colts yesterday, is reportedly open to a reunion with the Pats.
Might as well trade any you can for draft capitol and look for a quick reboot in 2021.
Patriots don’t have a shot at any top QB this year but could in 2021. Might as well see what you have in Stidham.
Silence. Gilmore isn’t going anywhere. Bill has wet dreams about his salary to coverage skills ratio.
Bringo
I tend to agree. They just restructured his deal, tweaking 8.5 million of his base into 9.5 million dollar signing bonus, so a good faith “put it in your pocket” move.
Sure, Gilmore wants to get paid, but he’s still in the middle of a five year deal. Its ultimately up to Gilmore—does he want to stay through a rebuild or ask to be traded.
I think he stays.
They should go ahead and trade Gilmore now. The Patriots aren’t winning more than 6 or 7 games next year and they should be looking to stock up on picks
Ppl said the same with cassel
You mean when the Patriots had Moss and Welker in their primes and were coming off a 16-0 season? The Current Patriots have one of the worst offenses in the league especially in the passing game. They also just lost several key defensive players. As their roster currently stands they’re no better than a 7 win team
Edelman should stay with Brady.
So trade him to TB.
TB has 3 targets already. If Pats cut him they might pick him up but they aren’t trading for him.
i dont buy the Pats made “no tangible effort” to bring back Brady. that just doesnt add up.
Smartest move they can make is to lock up Jameis Winston for 3 or 4 years on a well below market value contract. If you offered him 4/80, with 40M guaranteed there’s probably no chance he says no. He has no path to start anywhere in 2020, and teams that need a QB of the future are drafting that dude this year – Burrow, Tua, Love, Herbert. Dolphins, Bengals, Chargers, Colts, Raiders all probably drafting a QB of the future on Day 1 or 2. If he goes the backup route he may get stuck there. Bridgewater’s path back to starting is the outlier.
You have a better chance at getting that type of contract, or any contract for that matter, from BB than Winston does
Lol, I mean #s are adjustable. But that’s the same 20M a yr range that guys like Foles, Bridgewater, Keenum, Alex Smith all got.
Hes already thrown for 5000 yards and 30 TDs. Give him over to the ultra disciplined BB, and maybe he figures out that throwing to an opposite color Jersey is bad.
I don’t think there’s any help for Winston. If I remember correctly dude bombed the wonderlic test. He’s not BBS type of QB. I posted on another thread that I wished they would’ve tried to acquire Bisset now that the colts signed rivers
All teams w/o a legit QB are always rebooting or rebuilding. Average QB’s can win a season or 2, but not constantly.
Do any of you actually follow football? The greatest coach/team builder of all time… He knew this day was coming long before any of you… I’m a Bills fan and I can tell you without a doubt that the Patriots are still the best team in the division. Anyone who thinks they’re in for a rebuild has their heads in the sand. They’ll win at least 10 games and all of the sheep will say they had to of cheated. BB is a machine. He makes players and all the people around him better. He won’t sign Winston, he won’t trade for Dalton; he will not spend more than 15 mill on any QB in football. Wake up people. So annoying seeing all you wannabes predict what they’ll do, proves how little you all actually know about the sport and how successful teams are built. Gross.
TJ you should be a GM, not just an armchair GM. Getting any calls from FOs?
Yes, you sound like a passionate “Bills” fan. With that being said, coaches are the first to admit they need talent to win. In New England the cupboards are bare. Who’s playing qb and who’s getting thrown to? 8-8 would be a good year for BB.
And yes, we follow football…probably long before you were born, but most certainly before you became a GM.
I am sad n discussed Brady hadta leave the Pats. Nothing more to say. It’s a sad couple months in Boston between the RS struggles, now this. Losing players you’ve rooted for, enjoyed their play over 20 yrs is so very sad the Pats let all the fans down.
you’re discussed that brady hadta leave? doncha mean disgusted? good on you for that 6th grade grammar though.
Typo
Wow the quarantine has made some fans pretty nasty.
They let you down? Was it the 6 Super Bowls? Grow up!
Do you think Brady will go into the HoF as a Patriot or a Buccaneer?
is this a serious question? or are you just dumb?
He is just ignorant
Stop and think about it and the answer shall appear
We’ll probably never learn the real story of what happened.
Where to these journalist come from? Rarely have I ever heard of them. Yet when a chance presents itself on a big story like Brady and the Patriots they are suddenly experts. They quote in-named sources and claim to have had conversations with insiders and people aware of the situation.
I doubt most don’t even know where Foxboro is and have never been in the Patriots locker room. There will be more click bait in the next few weeks on this subject than we’ll be able to stand. All written by people that have absolutely no clue what is real and what isn’t.