Skip to content

Report: Brady, Patriots in early talks for new deal

Mark J. Rebilas / USA TODAY Sports

Surprise: the New England Patriots and Tom Brady are interested in extending their working relationship.

Brady and the team have had "very early talks" about a new contract, Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald reports, adding that no deal is imminent.

The 39-year-old signed an extension through 2019 just last year and said he wants to play into his mid-40s, so he isn't going anywhere soon, regardless of whether he signs a new deal.

But Brady just turned in an MVP-caliber season and led the Patriots to perhaps their greatest Super Bowl victory, so he has a strong case for deserving a raise.

He'll earn a base salary of just $1 million in 2017, but, with a $13-million bonus, will carry a cap hit of $14 million. It's easy to make the case he's vastly underpaid, though there's reason to believe he's willing to accept less than he's worth to help the Patriots add talent at other positions.

Brady's cap hit will increase to $22 million in each of the next two seasons. It's possible a reworked deal with the Patriots will get those numbers down.

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox