One of the biggest stories of this offseason has been the impending free agency of quarterback Tom Brady.
Conflicting reports of the team willing to break the bank for their 42-year-old quarterback have been reported. Possible destinations for the quarterback have been floated around everywhere, as well.
Now, Patriots insider Tom E. Curran says that Patriots chairman and CEO Robert Kraft is not willing to pay the farm for the quarterback who has been at the helm for all six Super Bowls.
Kraft wants Brady to stay — he’s on the record saying that. But he removed the team’s ability to force Brady to stay when he agreed to wipe away the franchise tag in 2020 because he didn’t want Brady to stay against his will.
And while my understanding is that the Patriots are willing to extend themselves financially to keep him, Belichick will receive no edict from the owner on what to do.
All of the speculative reporting has lead to the Patriots to be irritated by insiders such as Ian Rapoport for announcing on his Twitter that the team is willing to give up over $30 million a year.
The Sunday report that the Patriots were willing to go north of $30M (presumably for one-year’s salary) to keep Brady, which came from Ian Rapoport of NFL Media, has been a source of irritation for the team this week.
Mum has been the word from Brady’s camp, including agent Don Yee, with just over a month left for the Patriots to negotiate a new contract before he can test the NFL waters in his first free agency.
