Pat Patriot
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- Mar 19, 2019
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Barring unexpected developments (fortunately there have been none of those in recent days), voting on a new CBA will end tonight. Tomorrow morning, all teams and players will know whether the 2020 league year will play out under the rules of the last year of the current CBA or the rules of the first year of a new one.
At that point, the Patriots and quarterback Tom Brady will be able to attempt to negotiate a new contract with full and complete understanding of the devices and tactics for handling dead cap money from his last contract in excess of $13 million and paying him whatever the two sides may decide to pay him.
So what will happen when it’s time for the Pats and Tom to talk turkey? As Tom Curran of NBC Sports Boston explained on Friday’s PFT Live, and as reported earlier in the week by Field Yates of ESPN.com, the Patriots believe that the ball is in Brady’s court, based on the offer that the team made to Brady in August.
In other words, the Patriots are waiting for Brady to say what he wants, in response to what the Patriots offered months ago. That attitude, originating from coach Bill Belichick, may tell Brady all he needs to know about whether Belichick truly wants him.
Regardless, the relationship has frozen in place. On Sunday (again, barring unexpected developments, including for example a delay of the start of free agency), the time for breaking the ice — or not — will arrive.