NFL Notes: Buccaneers, Eagles, Patriots

Buccaneers

• According to Albert Breer, Tom Brady‘s new two-year, $50 million deal with the Buccaneers includes a $500,000 bonus for making the playoffs, $750,000 for a Wildcard Round victory, $1.25 million for reaching the NFC title game, $1.75 million for reaching the Super Bowl and $2.25 million for winning.
• Brady can also earn multiple bonuses of $562,500 for finishing in the top-five for quarterback rating, touchdowns, yards, completion percentage, and yards per attempt.
• Louis Riddick mentioned the possibility of the Buccaneers signing Eagles free agent OT Jason Peters and moving him to right tackle.
• Mike Garafolo says Peters is open to playing either left or right tackle for a team, but is obviously looking for the best overall situation.

Eagles

Malcolm Jenkins wrote in the Players’ Tribune that he was hoping to remain with the Eagles and get a new contract from the team. However, Philadelphia opted to release Jenkins and he has since agreed to return to the Saints. 

“It’s my legacy that I’m concerned with,” Jenkins wrote. “And it’s no secret that I wanted a new deal — no secret that I felt like I deserved one. Not so I could be the highest-paid player at my position (even though I regard myself as being of that caliber), but so I could cement my legacy in Philadelphia forever. I wanted a deal that showed me that my sacrifices to the game have been recognized. I’m no idiot. I know money is tied to timing, market value, age, the draft, and so on. But legacy? That’s tied to the player, and to the name on the back of his jersey. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, I wasn’t able to ensure that my name would end up on the back of an Eagles jersey this year.”

“To Mr. Lurie, Coach Pederson, Jim Schwartz, and the rest of the coaching staff — I’m so grateful for the opportunity you gave me to be the best version of myself in an Eagles uniform,” Jenkins wrote.

Patriots

• Ben Volin of the Boston Globe notes that the Patriots could save $4.33 million by trading veteran WR Julian Edelman before June 1 and $7 million after that date. 
• Even so, Volin doesn’t think New England would look to trade Edelman, considering that he’s “fairly cheap, is a hard worker, and still is a productive receiver.”
• Volin mentions that Patriots CB Stephon Gilmore is someone to watch in the coming months as a potential trade candidate. Volin notes that a pre-June 1 trade wouldn’t make much sense, seeing as the Patriots would only gain $3.3 million of cap room. However, should they wait until after June 1, a trade would save $11 million in cap and potentially net them a “great haul” of draft picks. 

• Regarding the possibility of trading for QB Andy Dalton, Howe says something would have to change for the Patriots to turn their attention to him at this point. Howe says Dalton hasn’t been discussed among the Patriots’ immediate plans.