Tom Brady Trade Possible For New England Patriots

With the New England Patriots a surprise disappointment for much of the National Football League (NFL) regular season so far, a trade involving star but ageing quarterback Tom Brady is a possibility according to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports.

La Confora’s contention is that there are sources within Brady’s circle that have said that the 37-year-old Brady wants to play beyond his 40s and that the Patriots may sooner than later want to go younger in the all-important quarterback position. La Confora was the NFL Network's insider for six years and is one of the hosts for the show, the NFL Today.

The Patriots are widely-known in the NFL as one of those teams who prioritise business first over sentimental reasons; trading away a player because of their football value and not of past contributions or his popularity in the team or the Patriots fans.

Past Patriots who got traded away despite major contributions and relatively long stints in New England were Mike Vrabel, 8 years (2001–2008), Lawyer Milloy, 7 years (1996-2002); Ty Law, 10 years (1995-2004); and Randy Moss, 4 years (2007-2010) among others.

“At a time when many other teams have far less proven quarterbacks making more than double Brady's remaining salaries, and if the Patriots do struggle to retain their stranglehold on the AFC East and need to consider rebuilding some, he would be a substantial trade chip, perhaps their only one,” La Confora states in his article.

Tom Brady’s contract with the New England Patriots expires after the 2017 season.

Brady, both his potential play and contract terms, remains an attractive commodity in the NFL landscape despite the age and early struggles in the 2014 NFL season. He is also one of most popular names in the league— a team acquiring him will get a good football QB and a marketable star to its fans.

The Patriots have also drafted Jimmy Garoppolo in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft. Garoppolo is considered an project QB but was also rated as one of top quarterbacks in the annual rookie selection.

The New England Patriots just convincingly beat the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, 43-17 to improve to a winning record, 3-2 for the season. Should the Patriots pull the trigger on a probable Tom Brady trade this season? Or should they trust their star quarterback that he can still deliver the numbers and help the team win?