Tom Brady contract extension talks are reportedly quiet right now
Tom Brady’s current contract is set to expire at the conclusion of the 2019 season, and any talk of an extension has reportedly been quiet thus far.
Rob Gronkowski’s surprise retirement announcement has understandably been the talk of New England for most of the past three days, but that could change soon with reports surfacing that Tom Brady’s contract extension talks have been relatively quiet of late – if not altogether nonexistent.
According to Boston.com and NBC Sports’ Tom Curran, “all is quiet on the Tom Brady contract front.” Curran cites a source at the NFL’s annual League Meetings in Arizona this week, though it’s important to point out that this is all still just conjecture and speculation.
Brady, who will turn 42 before the new season kicks off, signed a two-year, $30 million contract before the 2018 season kicked off this time last year. While he and the Patriots still theoretically have plenty of time to negotiate a new contract extension before he would become a free agent next March, it’s notable that Tom Terrific has never started a regular season in the “walk year” of his contract throughout his 19-year NFL career.
Patriots president Jonathan Kraft also told reporters during an appearance on “Boston Sports Tonight” last January that a new deal could come closer to “when training camp starts,” so perhaps it’s just a matter of timing. After all, Brady has been publicly vacationing with his family, and this is also the time of year when most franchises and their operators start to reconvene and really settle into making preparations for the new season.
New England as an organization has had a lot to grapple with between free agency, managing their limited cap situation, doing their homework at the Scouting Combine and at various college pro days, and of course preparing for the upcoming NFL Draft. Throw in owner Robert Kraft’s ongoing legal situation with the Florida solicitation scandal and Rob Gronkowski’s retirement, and it makes sense that perhaps Brady’s contract hasn’t exactly been at the forefront of anyone’s mind.
Next. Rob Gronkowski retirement reactions around the sports world. dark
Still, it would be a humongous surprise if a new deal wasn’t worked out by Week 1 of the new 2019 season. Both Brady and the Patriots have previously indicated they are committed to finishing their tenure together, and the six-time Super Bowl champion has repeatedly targeted the age of 45 for his presumed retirement.
If that timeline still holds true, Brady could be looking at either a one-year, two-year, or three-year contract restructuring, depending on what makes the most sense financially for both sides.