How much has Brady been underpaid?

[PatsFanInVa]

luckily tom found a sugar momma.

Yes. Do you have any idea how hard it would be for a single dad to raise 2 kids on just 14M/yr?

But sirrously.

Here's where stoopit arguments work to the team's advantage:

He's only been the top-paid QB in 1 year cited, but usually is in the top 5. We here think he's the GOAT; others say "look at how important the relationship with BB and a strong team management is." We think 4 SBs should sorta kinda equate to at least 4 years as the top paid guy (but are glad that it doesn't work like that.) We think he is underpaid.

Ask the guys in Denver who they thought they wanted as their QB as long as he'd last. As GB who they'd rather have leading the team, as of right now, for 10 year -- Rodgers or Brady. Ask people in Pittsburgh whether Brady is overrated. Ask Indy fans -- still -- whether Peyton or Tom was really the best, during Manning's time there. They'll tell you about records and regular season wins.

For my money, he's the GOAT, or at least "tied for it" with Montana. Around the league, he's "past his prime," "always been a system quarterback but even he looked great with Welker and Moss catching balls," etc. etc. etc.

Face it: The debate is active, and Tom is just a "top 5 QB" to everybody else. He's been paid like one (by mutual agreement.) Now... I will say that some crap team would pay him 20M/season on a short deal in a heartbeat. I'm not saying he's playing for market value. But that's the case for anybody who's any good who didn't just sign the Biggest Contract Evah that very year.

So I'm glad he's an honor-the-contract guy, I'm glad he's a restructure-for-the-team guy, I'm glad he doesn't try to squeeze out every dollar, from what I've observed. I'm glad he values the chance for the next ring, and it looks like he wants to be a Patriot until/unless they're thinking "eh, time to move on," as evidenced by moves vis a vis Brady.

To me, how much is he underpaid? The difference between "Invaluable" and present contract value; certainly the difference between his present deal APY an the top APY out there - if we look at Tom Brady the idea. If we look at his age or his stats or something, we can easily come up with a different valuation. Fortunately if/when these conversations were happening they were happening out of the public eye, and I hope with his agent rather than the man himself.

However in answer to the question, without regard to any actual relevance, I feel I would be remiss if I did not post...

 

[Ivan]

Sucks to be him.........

 

[JoeSixPat]

Okay. If you feel that is more appropriate and accurate I can change the title.

Edit: Also I firmly believe Brady has been underpaid as opposed to Manning being over paid.

Manning while not winning more than 1 title often has had teams with enough talent to be competitive and make the playoffs year after year. I think he is well worth the money he is getting paid. Just cause he is not Brady does not mean he is not worth every cent he is getting.

Let's look at the current 2015 season.

Brady has an $8,000,000 salary plus a $6,000,000 prorated signing bonus.

Rather than a cap figure of $14,000,000, let's say he should be paid $20,000,000.

That adds $6,000,000 to Brady's income - and $6,000,000 to the cap.

That leaves the Patriots less than $250k under the salary cap. Not exactly a good position to be in to sign rookies, undrafted free agents, and leave maneuverability for in-season additions (like Jonathan Casillas and Akeem Ayers) to replace injured players.

Perhaps Brady realizes that it is in his best interest to take a reasonable deal that still allows him and his children to live comfortably for the rest of their lives, in order to attempt to quench his competitive thirst for another championship.

I think you guys are both saying the same thing... yes Brady could have commanded MORE than Manning on the open market if he valued $$ more than winning

Brady knows that what the market will pay is MUCH higher than the amount of cap space that a QB alone can "healthily" take up on a winning team.

And while I'd suggest that teams would be smart to maintain some balance in how they distribute the cap - like the Patriots do in part thanks to Brady's cooperation - they'd all be better off.

But alas SOME team is always going to be willing to overpay in a HUGE way for a franchise QB, allowing guys like Manning to prioritize the money over winning.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

The way I see it, effectively wealthy TFB is using his discretionary income, the millions he forgoed (yeah, it's not a word) to buy something he wants, Championships. In my world that's a great use of $, buying something priceless.

"buying something priceless." That's a good way to put it.
Of course, he had to wait ten years for the most recent installment and needed the play of a lifetime by a Rookie, UDFA to get it, so maybe it would better be say that it was "a reasonable risk of $."