Rapoport Goes Fishing re Brady

[manxman2601]

As far as I can tell, Rapoport is purly "fishing" for controversy, as I suggested in the thread title:

1. Brady in the past has said there's no other coach he'd rather play for. This time, he said there's no other coach he wants to play for. Rapoport is playing this up as implying that Brady would retire rather than play for any other coach, which is a huge stretch.

2. Rapoport is purely speculating that because the Pats have been calculated about moving on in the past, that they might consider moving on to a new QB when Brady's contract expires in 2014, leaving him in the position of either playing for another coach - which Rapoport interprets Brady as saying he would be unwilling to do - or retire.

So Brady puts 2 huge stretches together and suggests that Brady could walk away after 2014.

Pure fishing. It's ridiculous.

But it's a possibility which is no more than he said. Not all successful sportsmen want to continue into their forties, particularly if there's an opportunity to finish at the top. What happens if we win the next two SB's? Brady's legacy is secure and unless he's a stat hunter which I don't think he is, the opportunity to retire a legend rather than a fading legend would have appeal, particularly in a physical sport like football.

The truth is, nobody knows and to see people try to write Brady's future in absolute terms is laughable (not directed at yourself Mayo).

If people are bothered about speculation about Brady's future, they're in for a long few years. Brady's getting on in years, he's been a fixture for a decade, is a major star and his contract is nearing an end. Of course people are going to speculate. And with the closed nature of the organisation, that speculation will likely be worse than normal.

 

[Froob]

Don't think theres any deep meaning in this interview lol.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

But it's a possibility which is no more than he said. Not all successful sportsmen want to continue into their forties, particularly if there's an opportunity to finish at the top. What happens if we win the next two SB's? Brady's legacy is secure and unless he's a stat hunter which I don't think he is, the opportunity to retire a legend rather than a fading legend would have appeal, particularly in a physical sport like football.

The truth is, nobody knows and to see people try to write Brady's future in absolute terms is laughable (not directed at yourself Mayo).

If people are bothered about speculation about Brady's future, they're in for a long few years. Brady's getting on in years, he's been a fixture for a decade, is a major star and his contract is nearing an end. Of course people are going to speculate. And with the closed nature of the organisation, that speculation will likely be worse than normal.

:scared:

Remember back in 2010, when Brees, Manning, and Brady were all going to be due new contracts? For some reason, the CW was that Manning and Brees would be resigned quickly, while things were almost guaranteed to get ugly between Brady and the Patriots. Lo and behold, Brady was the only one that didn't need to be franchised.

 

[Jimke]

To find a suitable replacement for Brady, the Patriots need a draft pick near the top of the draft. This isn't going to happen in the near future.

Barring injury, Brady will still be effective at age 40.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Mallett is definitely not the heir to Brady IMO. The math doesn't work out. Brady has showed no signs of slowing down and is posting another MVP caliber season at age 35. I expect him to play at this level until 38, and even then he would probably have two more good seasons in him. That would put Mallett at age 29, being the Brady backup for seven years in a row, I sure doubt that.

If Mallett improves and becomes a starting caliber QB in the next 3-4 years, he'll be traded. If he doesn't, he'll be tossed to the side the ways of O'Connell and Hoyer.

Brady's replacement is most likely a senior in highschool or a freshman in college. That would put the kid drafted around Brady being 38 or 39, with 1-2 years to learn behind the GOAT. I sure wish it was Johnny Football

There is less than 2 years at most to pull off the traded part. Mallett will either be traded or cut by 2014 because they won't extend him if they think he can't be a starter right away and he won't sign a deal that doesn't both pay him as such and/or give him at least a shot at starting. That is backup QB 101. They don't hang with that first team past the first contract. If they did it would mark them as lacking drive and ambition, like the one guy who did...Manning's former backup who thereafter got injured without even playing and was gone a season later.

Hoyer or Cassel could easily return if they want to shop Mallett. Both took their shot and either failed (and not necessarily entirely through their own fault) or found no takers. You can keep them here almost indefinitely as more of a veteran system backup while you continue to audition other developmental players for a possible role as the eventual replacement.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

To find a suitable replacement for Brady, the Patriots need a draft pick near the top of the draft. This isn't going to happen in the near future.

Barring injury, Brady will still be effective at age 40.

Brady would probably disagree with that premise...

 

[manxman2601]

Brady would probably disagree with that premise...

Not many QB's starting in the NFL today at a high level taken past the 2nd round though. He's right.

 

[PP2]

Not many QB's starting in the NFL today at a high level taken past the 2nd round though. He's right.

Mallett fell all the way to the 3rd round because of his shenanigans.

 

[manxman2601]

Mallett fell all the way to the 3rd round because of his shenanigans.

And he's not "starting in the NFL today at a high level". Certainly, I'll grant that plenty of backups were drafted in the later rounds but there's a bit of a pattern developing there.


OK, I'm being a bit flippant. I understand your point, but Mallett has not yet shown the ability to start in the NFL although the Pats' trust in having him as the sole backup is a good sign.

Point still pretty much holds though. If you want a starter, you need to draft them high.

 

[Big-T]

:scared:

Remember back in 2010, when Brees, Manning, and Brady were all going to be due new contracts? For some reason, the CW was that Manning and Brees would be resigned quickly, while things were almost guaranteed to get ugly between Brady and the Patriots. Lo and behold, Brady was the only one that didn't need to be franchised.

"good guy" Brees was the one threatening to hold out because he was "only" being offered $18m a year too!

 

[lurker1965]

I don't know if this is worth a thread, but we have a long week off. This tidbid showed up in Ian Rapoport's most recent column on NFL.com:



Rex Ryan, New York Jets are susceptible to Tim Tebow mania - NFL.com

??? Brady says "there's no coach I ever want to play for than [BB]" on the occasion of BB's 200th win, and Rapoport turns it into a "Brady might retire after his contract expires after the 2014 season" fishing trip?

You wonder why the PFW guys called it the Crapsheet?

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Not many QB's starting in the NFL today at a high level taken past the 2nd round though. He's right.

He said near the top of the draft. Where we seldom pick. We do however pick somewhere later in all rounds, unless of course we've traded picks or moved out of a round by choice. There are lots of misevaluations largely based on measurables and athletitism or apparent lack thereof. Most never get the opportunity Brady did here to prove he had the more significant intanglble skills, both because of circumstances and coaching philosophy. Although even Bill will admit he thought he was targeting a potential 2nd string backup and probably at best a transitional player if he had to Kosar Bledsoe...

You're as unlikely to get another Brady at the top of the draft as you are near it's end. Maybe even less likely. Some day they will have to replace Brady, just don't count on that guy remotely replicating him. Then you won't be crashingly disappointed.

 

[manxman2601]

He said near the top of the draft. Where we seldom pick. We do however pick somewhere later in all rounds, unless of course we've traded picks or moved out of a round by choice. There are lots of misevaluations largely based on measurables and athletitism or apparent lack thereof. Most never get the opportunity Brady did here to prove he had the more significant intanglble skills, both because of circumstances and coaching philosophy. Although even Bill will admit he thought he was targeting a potential 2nd string backup and probably at best a transitional player if he had to Kosar Bledsoe...

You're as unlikely to get another Brady at the top of the draft as you are near it's end. Maybe even less likely. Some day they will have to replace Brady, just don't count on that guy remotely replicating him. Then you won't be crashingly disappointed.

Trust me, I don't think we'll replace Brady, just talking in terms of having a good NFL starter. As for where to pick them, as you say, top of the draft is unlikely unless we go into post Brady doldrums but competence could still be netted in the first and maybe second rounds.

AJ McCarron will be an interesting point of reference as regards this debate. Looks like a good system fit for the Patriots, doesn't have the usual high drafted QB type passing skills but looks like he could run a pro offense. Good value? I wonder.

Tuth is, there's going to be little in the way of gauging what the future holds re Brady, Mallett or anyone else. If they don't draft another QB, that might mean Brady will continue or that they like Mallett for the role. If they do draft a QB this year or next, that might mean that Brady's retirement is imminent or that he's got another four years in him.

And all the time we're debating this, the larger question is; Does Brady even know what his future is?

 

[lurker1965]

I think they both will retire together...could be as early as 2014. If they win another SB by then...they are DEFINITELY both gonna retire by then. Neither has anything else to prove...

While we are supposing future actions of people I don't know personally -

Belichick and Brady will retire after winning two more Super Bowls and be carried off by pegasuses (pegasi?) and the Greek gods make them into constellations.

Either that or a UFO lands after the Lombardi ceremony and takes them back to their home world.

Wait... Wait... where are you going? I have more informed supposition.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

I've seen nothing myself that tells me he can't develop in to an NFL starter. I wasn't so sure when we drafted him if he was a great fit for ou offence but I had no questions about us ability to play in the NFL. Saying that, we have a limited sample size and we have no idea what the team is thinking.

The team will draft other QBs...so Mallett may not wind up being that guy but, for now, you has to assume he is.

My point above is if...and that's an if...Mallett shows the ability when you have both up for renewal, then I wouldn't bet against BB making that decision.

Screw the business side...we'd just given Bledsoe a monster deal but tha didn't stop us snubbing him for Brady...a decision most of us mocked.

Those of us who watch QB play and watched summer camp did not mock that snubbing decision. Us same folks are expressing well founded skepticism regarding The Hammer. Why do we "have to" assume Mallett is the guy? He's just this year's Hoyer, but with less real NFL experience. He could be an NFL starter some day but even BB does not know the answer to that definitively.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

:scared:

Remember back in 2010, when Brees, Manning, and Brady were all going to be due new contracts? For some reason, the CW was that Manning and Brees would be resigned quickly, while things were almost guaranteed to get ugly between Brady and the Patriots. Lo and behold, Brady was the only one that didn't need to be franchised.

This should be a valuable lesson for those who pay attention to the click on me controversy seeking, Pats hating, not understanding mediots. Alas...

 

[Ring 6]

There is less than 2 years at most to pull off the traded part. Mallett will either be traded or cut by 2014 because they won't extend him if they think he can't be a starter right away and he won't sign a deal that doesn't both pay him as such and/or give him at least a shot at starting. That is backup QB 101. They don't hang with that first team past the first contract. If they did it would mark them as lacking drive and ambition, like the one guy who did...Manning's former backup who thereafter got injured without even playing and was gone a season later.

Hoyer or Cassel could easily return if they want to shop Mallett. Both took their shot and either failed (and not necessarily entirely through their own fault) or found no takers. You can keep them here almost indefinitely as more of a veteran system backup while you continue to audition other developmental players for a possible role as the eventual replacement.

Why would we bring back Hoyer? We cut him, and no one else wanted him for 3 months. Why wouldn't we draft or sign someone who is better?

 

[lurker1965]

And Brett Favre, a guy who took WAY more hits than Brady, retired at 41, not 37, and had a career year in 2009, when he was 40-years old. I think that if it comes to a point where you have to choose between a 37 year-old Brady and a 27 year-old Mallett, you go with Tom, no questions asked. Say he's playing at 80% of what he's played this season in 2014, are the chances of Ryan Mallett performing as well as that significant? Because I don't believe so. Many guys have had productive seasons at 37 in the NFL lately, this is a different league. I'd be STUNNED if Belichick believes going with Ryan Mallett is a better option than keeping Brady.

The ONLY ways I can see Belichick keeping Mallet and not resigning Brady:

1) Brady retires and Belichick wants at least 1 post-Brady year.
2) Brady gets a catastrophic injury yet insist his 40 year-old body can heal like a 20 year-old and he IS coming back, you'll see.
3) Brady himself asks Belichick so he can retire and say it wasn't his idea.

4) *And maybe Belichick balks at this* - Brady is CLEARLY the guy who used to be Brady and Gisele asks Belichick because Tom has too much pride. *Like I said, Belichick might balk at this but we are talking hypotheticals.*

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Why would we bring back Hoyer? We cut him, and no one else wanted him for 3 months. Why wouldn't we draft or sign someone who is better?

At vet minimum I feel the Pats might resign known quantity Hoyer as a one year backup AND draft/FA a developmental prospect. He was cut at a higher cap/salary level.

 

[Ring 6]

At vet minimum I feel the Pats might resign known quantity Hoyer as a one year backup AND draft/FA a developmental prospect. He was cut at a higher cap/salary level.

Why didn't they do that this year? They have made their decision on Hoyer, and it seems like the right one.