Welcome to the Two-Minute Drill, a roundup of all the (mostly) Patriots-related offseason news you need to start your Friday. Grab your mochaccino or whatever, and let's boogie...
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Well, this wouldn't be an ideal way to kick-off negotiations.
WEEI's Dale Arnold (surprising, given his strong hockey and hoops ties) reported on his show Thursday (30-minute mark) what he has been told about the recent call between Bill Belichick and Tom Brady: Belichick told Brady that given his dead cap hit, they could only afford to give him a one-year deal at less than the $23 million he made last season.
That would probably explain how the call "didn't go well" to one side, and was "business as usual" to the other. I have not been able to confirm that's how the discussion went.
What do I make of it? Could there be another explanation? Is that the end of the line for negotiations?
First, this sounds very plausible. The Patriots, through their own drafting and roster issues, don't have a lot of cap space if they want to compete for another Super Bowl this season. Of course, there are ways around that if they really want someone and are willing to pay the price down the road (I think they should).
Would that kind of offer be outlandish? No ... it all depends on what the offer was. Anything with a 2 in front of it would be in the fair-ish category to me considering the Patriots don't pay for past performance. Eli Manning and Philip Rivers were in that area last year. It's not wrong for the Patriots to expect Brady to be in the same ballpark. Of course, it would be fair for Brady to be offended by that ... right now.
I would be interested in knowing if there was further context to the offer like ... "As of right now, without a new CBA, the best we can do is a one-year offer because we aren't allowed to do the dummy years like in the Drew Brees contract."
That would be important context.
Arnold also said that because of this offer, there was zero chance Brady would re-sign with the Patriots.
Now, here is where I take some issue at this point in the game — and it is a game. Everyone I've spoken to still expects Belichick and Brady to speak again, perhaps after the CBA decision — mock it if you want, but I've been told repeatedly that the CBA issue is real and it plays into Belichick not bothering to get into hypotheticals, and that goes for contract offers (people really need to stop comparing Belichick's actions to that of a normal, everyday human ... he's not, he's unique and it's part of what has made him the best).
The bigger factor ... since when is an opening offer a final offer? Usually in negotiations, the free agent (Brady) starts high and inflates his value (especially for a 43-year-old quarterback), while his company (Patriots) starts low and then they find a place to meet in the middle. And it's normal for the free agent to say, "If that's the best you can do, then I'm walking out the door..." before finding middle ground.
And it doesn't mean that it's all over.
With the Brady and the Patriots, I still think there's an avenue for them to move forward together — I do not buy into the hardline rhetoric quite yet — in the form of a one-year deal with some sort of trigger for a second year, but it's going to depend on Brady's other offers at this point. And I still believe that may be limited. Brady better hope the 49ers come calling because what I'm hearing ...
- The Buccaneers actually prefer Teddy Bridgewater to Brady (Michael Lombardi and Peter King have also mentioned this);
- The Raiders don't really have a whole lot of interest in Brady if he wants a big contract and will be waiting for him to call them, not the other way around;
- The Titans prefer the status quo with Ryan Tannehill.
If the 49ers really aren't interested in Brady, then his market is limited to basically the Chargers ... if they're even interested.
So there is much further to go on this.
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Elsewhere...
2. Jamie Collins has a new agent. I've known the South Florida-based David Canter for years and he's very good at his job. Belchick works well with him because Canter doesn't screw around. Should be helpful in a possible Collins return.
3. The NFL could, indeed, delay the start of free agency until after the CBA vote decision is clear. That would be the prudent thing and help a possible Brady-Patriots reunion.
4. The XFL is still hoping to resume play at some point but players can immediately sign with NFL teams.
5. Titans are releasing Cameron Wake and former Patriot Dion Lewis. I have a hard time seeing room for Lewis, but Wake would be an interesting and cheap designated pass rusher. He was really good last season until he got hurt and killed the Patriots over the years.
6. Ted Karras, JC Jackson and Marshall Newhouse all got a nice little bonus from the performance-based pay system.
7. Well, Drew Brees is OK with taking a below-market deal.
8. The NFL has canceled the league meetings and will push most of the docket until the May quarterly meeting. No big surprise there.
EXTRA POINT
There is a social pandemic going on, too. The Corona Tough Guy.
Have you met him? Ignore him. Do what makes you feel safe. pic.twitter.com/YOxJlf9pJv
— Kyle Brandt (@KyleBrandt) March 12, 2020