AFC East Notes: Tom Brady, Bills, Patriots

Tom Brady

Patriots QB Tom Brady hinted that he will continue his NFL career until he is 45 years old.

https://twitter.com/nickjomalley/status/1009166171491459072

This comes after Brady recently admitted during an interview with Oprah Winfrey that he sees the end to his career coming “sooner rather than later.”

“I think about it more now than I used to,” Brady said, via the Boston Herald. “I think I’m seeing there’s definitely an end coming sooner, rather than later.”

Brady did, however, add that “as long as [he’s] still loving it,” he plans to continue playing.

“As long as I’m still loving it,” Brady said. “As long as I’m loving the training and the preparation and willing to make the commitment. But it’s also, I think what I alluded to a lot in the [Tom vs. Time] docu-series, there’s other things happening in my life, too. I do have kids that I love, and I don’t want to be a dad that’s not there, driving my kids to their games . . . my kids have brought a great perspective in my life. Kids just want the attention. You better be there. And be available to them.”

Bills

Bills GM Brandon Beane mentioned in an interview with Matthew Fairburn of The Athletic that he admires QB Nathan Peterman‘s toughness after a disappointing rookie season.

“That’s why I love football … it’s not how hard you get knocked down, it’s how quickly you get back up,” Beane said. “And you know, the things I’ve said to him, I can go through a lot of rookies. Troy Aikman, Peyton Manning, a lot of these guys, there are miserable games and miserable opening seasons. Peyton was 3-13 in his rookie season. It’s just, you know, it’s not easy. … I admire his toughness. He comes back in his next [starting] opportunity [against the Colts] and it’s snowing like crazy. If the guy had any luck last year it was bad luck. And yet you haven’t seen it carry over out here. I know, probably more than anybody, he’s wanting to say, ‘Let me get out there and show you what I can do. Give me another chance here.‘”

• Mike Rodak believes former first-round DE Shaq Lawson is “competing for a rotational role, if not for his 53-man roster spot entirely” this summer.

Patriots

• Mike Reiss reports that FB James Develin‘s new two-year extension with the Patriots will pay him $1.675 million (2018), $1.7 million (2019) and $1.9 million (2020).
• According to Reiss, Patriots LS Joe Cardona‘s new four-year extension includes $1 million guaranteed and $850,000 in bonuses. Cardona carries salary-cap charges of $860,000 (2018), $955,000 (2019), $990,000 (2020), $965,000 (2021), and $1.21 million (2022).
• Reiss also mentions that it wouldn’t be a surprise if RB Mike Gillislee is not on the Patriots’ roster at the start of the 2018 season.