Brady has started a trend: NFL QBs restructuring contracts

[ralmat55]

I love when the conspiracy buffs say there's some kind of side deal giving Brady more down the line. There is nothing, absolutely nothing, that would have stopped them from putting in the contract that Brady's 2015 non-guaranteed salary would be 20, 50 or $100 million because future cap numbers mean nothing. If they had done that, Brady would actually have leverage to force a renegotiation and get more money down the line.

Some of us are just too darn cynical for our own good. Not saying we should nominate Brady for sainthood or anything, but we should applaud someone for being smart enough to know that grabbing every last dollar isn't always in their best interest. As a sports fan who keeps seeing promising careers wither away to nothing when a player puts themselves in a bad situation because they can get just a little more cash, it would be great if Brady's decision started a trend, but I doubt it.

 

[Claremonster]

Drew Brees open to restructuring Saints contract



link: Drew Brees open to restructuring Saints contract - NFL.com

I thought he was the guy that basically screwed his own team because he wanted the highest $$$$$$$ contract for a qb????

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

I thought he was the guy that basically screwed his own team because he wanted the highest $$$$$$$ contract for a qb????

That's OK now because he's offered to make the sacrifice of getting more of the money guaranteed and earlier.

BTW, this is what the Pats had done with Brady a couple times in the last decade which fans and some pundits mistakenly termed taking one for the team. We should all be so lucky with deals like that.

This time Brady really did take one for the team and it's got everyone's panties atwist.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

sanchez a pay cut? he is a top 5 Qb in this league......:bricks:

 

[Aßßynormal]

The question really is: would they be willing to play for $9 million a year when they know their current team or some other team would be willing to pay them $20 million a year?

I love the spin coming from the Mike Florios of the world and ESPN that this isn't a wise and generous act by Brady. The truth is he left money on the table to have control of his situation, finish his career with the team he started it with, and give that team some additional resources to surround him with good players.

Even if he wasn't married to a super rich fashion model, he has, on his own, earned enough money to live more than comfortably for several lifetimes. In this grab every dollar you can on your way to the grave world we live in, what Brady did might be the wisest thing I've seen a pro athlete do in my many,many years of following sports.

Shame on us fans if we don't appreciate it and double shame on the Patriots front office if they should do him wrong.

Don't forget Bruschi did the same.

 

[mgteich]

Brady gave away over $30M. It really is that simple. He certainly could have signed the same extension with four $20M years.

When someone else gives away at least $20M, perhaps we can discuss trends.

Even Brady didn't do that: he just took less in future years to help the team, but he didn't reduce what they're paying him on the current deal.

 

[tonyto3690]

I thought he was the guy that basically screwed his own team because he wanted the highest $$$$$$$ contract for a qb????

He did. And I explained how restructuring =/= extending for less money.

Brees can restructure to give the Saints immediate cap relief. He is still going to be paid the same and the cap space they save this season will only be replaced and pushed to the future. His contract is still a massive albatross on their pay roll that is single handedly killing their franchise.

Brees contract, even if he renegotiates it to (ex. 5 mill this year and 35 next year, is still 20 per year). They may get ~15 (or whatever) cap relief for this year, but if he just renegotiates that cap hit will come eventually.

What Brady did was add years for less money so that his annual salary average went from 22 per year to 14 per year. What Brees is doing is akin to if Brady had said "I'll give you cap relief this year, but I want 27 per year for the 2015, 2016 and 2017 seasons".

Brees single handedly killed the Saints championship hopes for the next five years.
Brady single handedly is carrying the Patriots championship hopes.