It's been more than six weeks since the 2019 season ended for the New England Patriots, and in that time, there really hasn't been much movement in the negotiation department between the team and Tom Brady. However, that could be coming to a change this week.
According to NFL.com, Brady's agent, Don Yee, is expected to meet with the Patriots at the NFL combine in Indianapolis this week. As recently as Feb. 16, there had been pretty much "no movement" in talks between the two sides, so this meeting will likely get the ball rolling on negotiations.
With just over three weeks to go until the official start of free agency on March 18, the Patriots will be able to use these talks to gauge whether or not Brady is planning to test the market. If the quarterback is planning to meet with other teams, then the Patriots will need to have a second option ready at the position in case Brady leaves. That option could be a trade (Hello, Andy Dalton) or the Patriots could reach out to a free agent (i.e. Philip Rivers or Teddy Bridgewater).
Last year, the Patriots were caught somewhat off-guard by the retirement of Gronkowski, and since the tight end's announcement came after the meat of free agency, the Patriots were never really able to replace him. You can bet Bill Belichick isn't going to let that happen again, which is why he'll almost certainly want to know what Brady's plans are before March 18.
If Brady does meet with other teams, he reportedly won't be doing a free agency tour. Currently, it seems that the quarterback's plan is to hold all his potential free agent meetings at a centralized location.
If Brady and the Patriots can't work out a deal before the start of free agency, it's starting to look like the quarterback will have at least three suitors who will be looking to join the Brady sweepstakes. A source told the Boston Globe that the Chargers, Raiders and Buccaneers are the teams that keep getting getting brought up as the most likely destination for the 20-year veteran.
None of those teams come as a surprise. CBS Sports NFL Insider Jason La Canfora reported back in October that Brady would likely consider the Chargers if he ends up leaving New England. On the Raiders' end, the team is reportedly getting set to make Brady an offer that will pay him a total of $60 million over two years, while Tampa Bay was listed as a "sleeping giant" in the Brady sweepstakes by NBC Sports' Peter King.
As for the meeting in Indy, although Yee and the Patriots will finally be sitting down at the negotiation table together, a new deal isn't expected to be announced this week. According to NFL.com, there likely won't be anything happening with Brady until the "cusp of free agency."
If you want to stay up-to-date on every rumor and piece of news surrounding Brady this offseason, make sure to click here to check out our free agency hub for the Patriots quarterback.
