Patriots: QB Contract Numbers With Newton, Stidham and Hoyer Should Embarrass Bucs

The New England Patriots took the Buccaneers to school about how an NFL team is built.

The New England Patriots have been between a rock and a hard place these past several years.

Paying Tom Brady a gargantuan salary has gone against basically everything Bill Belichick stands for, as did paying Brady any amount of salary once it was clear he had tripped over the hill a bit. The Hoodie would’ve loved to have gotten rid of Brady a year too early rather than a year too late (and then again, perhaps he just did?), but on the other hand…it was Tom Brady.

It’s nearly impossible to make your patented devious maneuvers with the face of your franchise.

Lucky for Coach Belichick, Brady decided he was no longer interested in the Patriot Way this offseason, finally allowing our fearless leader to implement the Utopian Low-Budget QB Room he’d always fantasized about (featuring a former NFL MVP, mind you).

Take…a look…at these numbers.

A single year to accomplish something special, followed by another clean slate (and potentially a top draft pick). Meanwhile, the team Brady departed to is in a different situation entirely.

A two-year, $50 million deal in Tampa, along with $9 million in additional incentives, is a shiny centerpiece for the Bucs franchise. It’s also colossally foolish, though at least it won’t be a long-term shackle.

That being said, it is hilarious to see the Patriots shed Brady, import Cam Newton, and pay him less than Tampa Bay is currently giving to Brady’s perennially unimpressive backup.

The Patriots could’ve had Blaine Gabbert, if only they could afford him! Shamefully, they only had Cam Newton money lying around. But good luck with all that, Tampa.

New England is the only AFC contender without a long-term QB centerpiece, but until they find the right man for the job, they’re not going to commit anything to a stopgap like Andy Dalton or Derek Carr. Their QB room is both threadbare and features the potential Comeback Player of the Year.

Take a lesson, rest of the NFL. We know you won’t, though. You never learn anything, even though Bill Belichick annually leaves you all the clues.