Tom Brady agreeing to new deal after Patriots reunited with Cam Newton feels like a troll
By Jerry Trotta
The New England Patriots resolved their quarterback conundrum in one fell swoop on Friday, as they reportedly re-signed Cam Newton to a one-year deal worth up to $14 million.
With the legal tampering period kicking off next week and the Patriots needing to attract a standout wide receiver and tight end, the timing of this deal coupled with the trade for offensive tackle Trent Brown will no doubt make free agents consider them as a potential destination.
The bottom line is that this is a huge move for the Patriots, as they didn’t let their preferred QB option reach the open market.
However, the spotlight was swiftly taken off of them just hours later after another team made a fairly significant roster move.
Per ESPN insider Adam Schefter, the Buccaneers and Tom Brady reached an agreement on a one-year extension that locks him up through the 2022 campaign.
We hate to be THOSE fans, but how does the timing of this news not absolutely reek of a troll job?!
Tom Brady reached agreement with the Buccaneers today on a four-year contract extension that voids to a one-year extension that locks him into Tampa through the 2022 season, sources tell ESPN.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 12, 2021
The Buccaneers and Tom Brady conveniently agreed to an extension just hours after the Patriots and Cam Newton reunited.
The Buccaneers really couldn’t let the Patriots have their moment, huh?
Not that re-signing Newton makes them an instant championship contender, but sorting out the QB predicament just days before free agency gets underway is pretty huge considering how significant this offseason is for de facto GM Bill Belichick and Co.
Tampa Bay has admittedly been one of the busiest teams in the league this offseason, but are we really supposed to believe that it was just a coincidence that they signed Brady to an extension just hours after (let alone the same day) the Patriots reunited with Newton?
The whole thing just smells fishy and we really wouldn’t put it past the Bucs, who — especially head coach Bruce Arians — took repeated shots at the Patriots and their treatment of Brady this past season, if they planned it to go down like this.
The Tom-Brady extension saves the Buccaneers $19 million against the cap this year, per sources. The additional voidable years are there to defray the cost. It was another effort from Brady to keep as much of the team together as possible. https://t.co/65qAGO5Px7
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 12, 2021
As if Brady signing an extension wasn’t enough, the deal is reportedly a major team-friendly one, as it saves the Buccaneers $19 million (!) in cap space for 2021, so now the media can continue waxing poetic about how the 43-year-old is one of the most unselfish players to ever lace ’em up all the while Newton and the Patriots get buried in the news cycle.
This is far from us wanting Newton’s reunion with the Pats to lead all sports talk shows. Most of them have zero credibility, anyway. We just can’t ignore the timing of Brady’s new deal after Arians and Co. constantly chastised the Patriots for the way they go about their business.
Nice try, Tampa, but you’re not fooling anybody here.
