NFL Notes: Tom Brady, Jimmy Garoppolo, Bills, Patriots

Tom Brady

In an interview with SiriusXM NFL Radio, Patriots QB Tom Brady mentioned that his wife told him he should retire after winning Super Bowl 51, but he told her that’s not happening.

“If it was up to my wife she’d have me retire today, she told me that last night,” Brady said. “I said too bad babe.”

• The Patriots believe Brady can play another 3-5 years and plan to discuss a new extension for him after the 2017 season. (NFLTR)

Jimmy Garoppolo

Mike Sando of ESPN (Insider) spoke with a few NFL sources regarding the Patriots’ options for backup QB Jimmy Garoppolo.

A veteran NFL agent tells Sando that he thinks the Patriots should trade Garoppolo this offseason and give Tom Brady some more help.

“They have to trade the QB, right?” this agent asked. “They have spent too high of a draft pick [2014 second-rounder] on a guy [Garoppolo] who has rarely played. It makes it worth it if he is traded. I think the chances are much stronger the quarterback is traded than the tight end, who should still be a top weapon for Brady.”

“I think they move Garoppolo, because Bill [Belichick] can get value for him now,” the executive said.

However, another executive thinks New England would be better off keeping Garoppolo unless they get an offer that’s just too good to pass up.

“I think you keep Garoppolo, because Brady is 39, and even though he is playing at a high level and he wants to play four, five years or however long it is, he is still going to be 40,” said the NFL executive. “I just think they will keep him unless it is such a good offer and Belichick likes some of these other quarterbacks in this year’s draft — unless he feels Brissett is the guy. I just think Garoppolo is better than Brissett. Odds-wise, I put Rob Gronkowski getting trading as just as likely, if not the higher potential than Garoppolo getting traded.”

Bills

• Vic Carucci and Alex Marvez are reporting that the Bills are hiring Gill Byrd as their new defensive backs coach.

Patriots

An NFL evaluator tells Mike Sando of ESPN he believes the Patriots should consider trading TE Rob Gronkowski and drafting a replacement in what’s considered to be a good tight end class.

“It is such a deep tight end draft,” the evaluator said. “They could trade Gronk and potentially use that pick to draft a tight end or draft one somewhere else in the draft. They could get away with Bennett for an even cheaper price than Gronk. Would I rather have [Alabama tight end] O.J. Howard or would I rather have an older Gronk with injury concerns? That is intriguing.”

• An NFL agent predicted that Patriots free agent TE Martellus Bennett will target three-year, $22 million deal similar to the contract signed Panthers TE Greg Olsen.
• Sando also spoke to an agent who thinks New England may franchise LB Dont’a Hightower and eventually sign him to a long-term extension at some point.