Tom Brady signed his new contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The two-year, $50-million contract is fully guaranteed. It includes up to $9 million in additional incentives, and it does allow the franchise tag after the 2021 season.
This contract says a lot about Brady’s free agency priorities. He has always maintained that he wants to play until his mid-40s. This particular contract will take him up to 45 years of age. That has long been his goal.
Also, the language of his contract prevents a trade and free agency tags being placed on him. He wants to control where he plays. This could also mean that he may want to play beyond the age of 45. Whether it’s with the Buccaneers or someone else is the question. It will probably be dependent on how these two years with Tampa Bay go.
What this contract means in regards to his free agency priorities overall, is that he was focused, in part, on getting paid. After all, his $50-million is guaranteed. During his time in New England, he took several pay cuts to try and help the organization acquire players and shape the roster. With Brady approaching the end of his career, he may want to maximize his earnings during his time with the Buccaneers.
Brady was undoubtedly looking for stability for at least two seasons, hence his no-trade clause. The interesting thing is his no-tag cause. That leaves the door open for him to sign somewhere else once his contract finishes. It appears that Brady came into free agency with a plan. He wanted stability in the short-term while having flexibility in the long-term.
This undoubtedly leads to a bigger picture. After spending 20 seasons with the Patriots, he wanted things to be on his terms and by his rules. Now, he will have the opportunity to start a new chapter with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Whether or not Tampa Bay will be his final stop remains to be seen.
