Is Brady Entering his final year?

[Anteros]

I know it's a four letter word around here but in today's ESPN interview, Tom reiterates his desire to play until he's 45 and doesn't deny the possibility of playing until he's 50.

Also, he says his wife agrees with him, contradicting reports of the opposite.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

I heard this discussion on the Adam Jones show yesterday.

He made some valid points;

1. Brady will be traded before he declines
2. Pats kept JG for a reason (he's the future)
3. Manning and Montana were traded once their teams found their next guy
4. Pats can get value for Brady in 2018

I'm the first one to think "We can't ever trade Brady!" And I don't want to see him traded.

But the reality is he likely will be traded if Kraft and BB believe Jimmy G is that good.

BB's "We're on to Cincinnati" mantra will have to start extra early before pre-season

 

[Simpelton]

To be kind, an unintelligent response.

I'm referring to winning during the next seven years, not some abstract time after Brady retires.

Lots of people are thrilled and satisfied and completely agree with the Niners decision to keep Steve Young and dump Joe Montana. They won the Super Bowl! Once!!

I'd much rather have three or four more titles. But that's just me.

Preemptive response: No, Montana would not have nearly been as banged up in the ensuing two seasons had he stayed in San Francisco, and he would have retired later.

Montana was banged up pretty bad in the years prior to the trade too. That's why the trade happened. A franchise with no reason to move on from its stud generally won't do it. Montana had built up a fair sized injury history by the time the team moved on from him.

Which is the reason I'm not 100% on the team moving on from Brady. Right now there's no reason to except for Garoppolo hype. I doubt that's enough on its own unless TB12 has already indicated in private that he's thinking of hanging 'em.

However, there's no reason to sleep on Garoppolo. He has every chance of being good enough to take this team to the playoffs in the very near future if he can stay healthy. I don't like people who need to spit on one player in order to sustain their binky. I don't think that's called for in Garoppolo's case. Every indication is that Jimmy G is going to be a fine starter when given the chance.

 

[Clonamery]

Adam Jones is a local guy, he's trying the felger method of troll radio. Not sure why it works for felger bit it ain't working for Adam jones.

Whhaaat? I thought the Pacman was still playing?

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Older SF Montana banged up for seasons.
Indy Manning serious recurring neck bolt issues.
TFB setting Super Bowl records (90 DAYS ago!!!)

Which of these is unlike the others?

 

[Simpelton]

the situations with manning and montana aren't entirely analogous to brady's situation with garoppolo.

montana missed almost 2 entire seasons because of an elbow injury before he was traded from the 49ers. manning missed an entire season because of neck surgery before the colts decided not to pick up his option.
.

Right. From a franchise perspective it makes little sense to move on from Brady right now unless you're really thinking the sun rises and sets in Garoppolo's eyes, or unless the Brady camp has come to Belichick quietly and suggested that now woild be a good time to set up a transition to the next quarterback because TB12 is doing an Ortiz.

 

[Oswlek]

I heard this discussion on the Adam Jones show yesterday.

He made some valid points;

1. Brady will be traded before he declines
2. Pats kept JG for a reason (he's the future)
3. Manning and Montana were traded once their teams found their next guy
4. Pats can get value for Brady in 2018

I'm the first one to think "We can't ever trade Brady!" And I don't want to see him traded.

But the reality is he likely will be traded if Kraft and BB believe Jimmy G is that good.

I see some points but I'm still looking for the "valid" ones.

 

[Tony2046]

Texan fans - "If we had a decent QB......."

Jets/Bills/Dolphin fans - "When Brady retires......"

Idiot pundits - " The Great Aaron Rodgers..... (1 Super Bowl)"/ "The fantastic Drew Brees .... (1 Super Bowl)/ " King of CAM -OH -Lot Newton......( 1 Fumble Fearing SB appearance)/ "Welcome to Wentzle-vania......."

Some Patriot fans - "We have a Super Bowl winning QB who is playing at an elite level but JG looked great during his 1 1/2 game audition....." "We're trading two years of eliteness for ten years of possible eliteness...." What????

Brady - ' I've worked hard all these years to gain a deep understanding of the game and now that I have it why would I quit?'

It would be foolish to replace Brady with JG if Brady is still playing at an elite level.

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

I wouldn't be surprised if the rate of improvement in Tom's performance begins to slow a little this year. Maybe it would indicate that he is entering his prime.

 

[Tony2046]

There has been a lot of talk of Brady retiring if he wins 1 more this year. I don't think so. Brady can add very little to his personal legacy at this point particularly if he wins #6 there is even less to add.

That being said he would have 1 thing left he wants to prove and that is the medical/health side. He would stay in just to prove what he does works. That is his next calling in life and every year he can play at a high level from this point on adds to that argument exponentially. I don't see any way Brady retires if it in his mind proves the methods him and Alex use work.

If I had to guess what Brady might be thinking it be this "I want to stay in and win more rings but more importantly I want to do something for the health of future generations of athletes to come. I want to prove our methods work to make athletes and people in general healthier and longer lasting in doing athletic activities".

If that is what he believes (and i think it is) that is a powerful motivation and reason to stay in as long as he can. If he plays till 45 at a good level he can be like "You still saying what we are doing doesn't work? Proof is in the pudding!" and I think he wants to say that cause he believes that is how he can make the world a better place. Maybe he is right too.

It's possible but I think he just likes playing.

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

Montana was banged up pretty bad in the years prior to the trade too. That's why the trade happened. A franchise with no reason to move on from its stud generally won't do it. Montana had built up a fair sized injury history by the time the team moved on from him.

Which is the reason I'm not 100% on the team moving on from Brady. Right now there's no reason to except for Garoppolo hype. I doubt that's enough on its own unless TB12 has already indicated in private that he's thinking of hanging 'em.

However, there's no reason to sleep on Garoppolo. He has every chance of being good enough to take this team to the playoffs in the very near future if he can stay healthy. I don't like people who need to spit on one player in order to sustain their binky. I don't think that's called for in Garoppolo's case. Every indication is that Jimmy G is going to be a fine starter when given the chance.

Let's leave Young and Manning out of the discussion, because they're inferior.

My point is, that guys like Johnny Unitas, Joe Montana and Tom Brady do not come around every day. When they do, their teams are going to be faced with making the right or wrong decision.

In Montana's case, it was only because of Eddie DeBartolo Jr.'s insistence that the Forty-Niners didn't dump him in '86, after his serious back surgery, which he underwent after being advised to retire.

 

[mosslost]

Jimmy isn't going anywhere, that's for sure.

after his free agency he is

 

[Tony2046]

Adam Jones is a local guy, he's trying the felger method of troll radio. Not sure why it works for felger bit it ain't working for Adam jones.

Felger's puppy.

 

[Ring 6]

If he's coached by Bill, it's safe to say he'll be better than we thought Brady was in 2001.

Because cassell, mallet, hoyer etc

 

[Ring 6]

I don't think "heir apparent" was part of the checklist the Pats used in selecting Garoppolo. [Or Brissett, for that matter. I'm also not convinced they were using the same checklist for Jimmy and Jacoby, but that's a matter for another post.]

They brought him in, first and foremost, to be QB2 for 2014, 2015, and 2016.

They needed a QB so they drafted the best one they saw.
There was no comprehensive long term analysis of Brady's health, improvement or decline 5 years out.

They decided to draft a QB because they needed one and every facet that follows is decided as time furs on, not in advance.

 

[mosslost]

I personally believe yes, this is Brady's final year with us. It's potentially 2-5 more years of elite QB play vs. potentially 10+ years of elite QB play, from a business value you'd obviously go with the latter.

That's not to say Garropolo is better though, not at all. What Brady is doing at age 40 is absolutely incredible and it is difficult to say that Garropolo is at least 80% as good as Brady without a bigger sample size. However, considering that Belichick raved about Garropolo and the fact that Belichick didn't trade Garropolo despite approaches from Cleveland, it does seem to suggest that Garropolo will be a Patriot for the next couple of years (barring a Herschel Walker-esque offer). And we won't be paying two QBs a combined $30+ million a year.

so JAG walks as free agent. Pats are not trading Brady.

 

[mosslost]

BB is all about getting value. If Brady is willing to let his salary decline as he keeps getting older, he can play here for a long time. Usually the wrinkle in the works is that other teams are willing to offer the veteran more $ than BB is and hence people finish their careers elsewhere, like Wilford, McGinest, Vrabel, Welker etc. If all these people had been willing to take lower salary, like Bruschi did, then they could finish their careers here too. I think Tom has shown willingness to let his salary and cap number remain manageable relevant to performance and expectations of Kraft and BB. Tom probably wisely realizes that by being in a competitive team he will likely retain higher earning potential from endorsements than to quibble on his salary with Pats. I think the relationship will remain fruitful. I think Tom will keep wanting to play for 4-5 more years, and I expect him to keep restructuring etc to lower his charge as a % of overall cap (if overall cap rises fast, you might even see his salary stay flat).

this is a hugely big point. If 2019 Brady like like 10 Million and 2019 Jimmy is like 24Million Luck type money, it is actually a no brainer to stay with Brady.

 

[mosslost]

I think Brady will retire before playing with another team. His wife was (according to him) asking him to retire after this last championship run.

It is on record that Giselle supports him playing to 45. Brady was asked this question like last week and that was his answer.

The bottom line is this still with respect to Jimmy, unless Tom is retiring after 2018 the timing if off for Jimmy as heir.

 

[Tony2046]

Can't wait to watch Brissette light up the field during preseason.

Then we'll get the "Trade Brady because we have two future HOF QB's on the roster..." threads.

 

[bormio]

This thread is something new and different.