Athletic recently conducted a survey involving 30 anonymous NFL agents, with questions on various topics, including the league’s offseason, COVID-19 and the ongoing fight for racial equality.
A question posed: From your agent’s perspective, what was the most interesting or surprising contract signed in free agency?
The most common response, according to The Athletic, pointed to Jameis Winston, who signed a one-year, $ 1.1 million contract to back Drew Brees with the New Orleans Saints. But Tom Brady’s decision to leave the New England Patriots in favor of signing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers also sparked some conversation, as you can imagine.
An agent offered a rather dramatic breakdown of Brady’s two-year contract with the Bucs, suggesting that the consequences of the deal are unlike anything the NFL has seen.
“I guess for me, it’s the same one everyone is going to talk about. Not because the contract was so monumental, just because there was a seismic change with (Brady), “the agent told The Athletic. “And suddenly, the Buccaneers are good and the Patriots are bad. And I don’t know if any individual player has had that dramatic impact on free agency. Now, we still have to play the game, of course. But one oppressed franchise ranks among the best on paper and the other historically, the fantastic dynasty franchise in a 20-year career has suddenly become pretty lackluster. Now, there is more to it than that. But it was Tom who instigated the whole thing. ”
At the beginning of the piece, it was explained that most of the surveys were conducted between June 15-30, so it is unclear if the agent assessed the situation before or after the New England quarterback Cam Newton will accept a one-year, incentive-laden contract on June 28. But he or she is surely high on the Buccaneers and low on the Patriots following Brady’s move to central Florida.
Obviously, the agent is not alone. While the Buccaneers, who also got Rob Gronkowski, got into the Super Bowl discussion with their offseason, the Patriots are kind of a wild card, even after bringing in Newton to supposedly replace Brady as his starting quarterback.
So he did the whole NFL landscape Really change when Brady left Foxboro? Perhaps, though, it’s important to note that Brady is entering his 43-year season after a disappointing 2019. Ultimately, the Bucs’ hype might seem a bit over the top.
Thumbnail photo via Steve Mitchell / USA TODAY Sports Images
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