Could Tom Brady really become a free agent next offseason?
It’s hard to imagine a scenario in which Brady leaves the Patriots, but the veteran quarterback has just one season remaining on his contract and NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero noted Monday on “Inside Training Camp Live” that a new deal isn’t yet “on the horizon” with New England opening training camp Thursday.
“Tom Brady, as of now, is set to go into a contract year for the first time in his career. My understanding is no new deal is on the horizon at this point,” Pelissero said. “It would be a unique type of a contract because nobody has played at this level and won like Brady has as he comes up on his 42nd birthday. But remember, the Patriots have a track record of getting deals done, including with Brady, in August and September. So, stay tuned before we start figuring out where Brady could land in free agency in 2020.”
Calm down, Patriots fans. This isn’t cause for panic. As Pelissero pointed out, the sides always have worked things out before, and Patriots owner Robert Kraft made it clear earlier this year he would be “quite surprised” if Brady didn’t remain New England’s quarterback for the foreseeable future.
It’s still notable, though, as Brady’s advanced age and continued success make it difficult to predict the parameters of his next deal. The Patriots have been in good hands ever since Brady took over as the starting QB during the 2001 season, dominating the AFC East and winning six Super Bowl titles, and Brady has shown no signs of slowing down. One shouldn’t expect the Pats to play hardball with the most decorated player in NFL history, but they’ll also want to make sure they can continue to surround Brady with the pieces necessary to contend for championships for as long as he plays.
All in all, Brady doesn’t usually reveal much information about his contract, and it has served both him and the organization well to this point. It’s fair to assume he’ll ink a new deal in time, although you can bet the other 31 teams are keeping their fingers crossed that something unforeseen happens and throws New England’s longstanding dynasty out of whack.
