In spite of signing a two-year contract extension and getting an $8 million raise this year, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady could still be a free agent next season.
It turns out after digging into is new contract, the final two years void on the final day of the 2019 league year. What does that mean? It means the Pats won’t be on the hook for the remainder of the contract, but they also can’t hit him with the franchise tag or a transition tag.
This new deal only stretches out the contract for the salary cap. It has no real value beyond this season for Brady.
Sources: #Patriots QB Tom Brady’s new deal includes a provision that does not allow NE to franchise or transition tag him for the 2020 season. The final two years automatically void on the last day of the 2019 league year, but he cannot be tagged. Brady will be a free agent.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 5, 2019
If the future first-ballot Hall of Famer doesn’t retire at the end of this season (and this whole contract is a solid clue that he might), he’ll be a free agent unless he and the Patriots iron out a new deal before March, 2020.
Is there any real chance Brady would suit up for another NFL team? It would be his 21st season and the only way New England wouldn’t work out at least another one-year deal with the man is if his skills were in obvious decline, much like Peyton Manning and Brett Favre experienced in their final seasons. There’s a quarterback cliff out there and Brady has avoided it thus far. The longer he chooses to play, the more likely he is to go over it.
“It’s a unique situation I’m in.20th year with the same team,” Brady said Monday. “I’ll be 42 years old. So pretty much uncharted territory for everybody.I’m going to go out there and do the best I can this year and see what happens.”
A @DannyAmendola and Tom Brady reunion happening at #LionsCamp. pic.twitter.com/E4Zx97gqut
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) August 5, 2019
Regardless of that, Brady is still playing, still the scariest quarterback in the game and has the Patriots as the AFC Super Bowl favorites.
“The focus is this year and what we have to do,” Brady said. “That’s where I’m focused. That’s all that really matters in the end, and that’s what this team expects of me — to put everything into it, like I always have. I’m really excited for the year.”
