Tom Brady's season-long concern remains sticking point for Patriots re-signing

With Super Bowl LIV duties done and dusted, it's time for NFL reporters to get back to the crux of the matter. The matter of Tom Brady's future has hung in the air ever since the New England Patriots crashed out of the playoffs. The six-time Super Bowl champion is technically a free agent, but negotiations continue over a possible (read: likely) re-signing with the Patriots. However, Tom Brady might want to reconsider signing for the Patriots and has a major condition before doing so this time.

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Tom Brady wants Patriots to address season-long concern before signing on the dotted line

On multiple occasions in the regular season, Tom Brady has cut a frustrated figure on the field. The four-time Super Bowl MVP was left disappointed with the quality of the wide receivers on the Patriots roster. According to Michael Giardi of the NFL Network, Tom Brady's main concern when it comes to re-signing with the Patriots remains that they are currently light in weaponry, so to speak. 

Tom Brady reportedly wants assurances from Bill Belichick and Patriots owner Robert Kraft that they will invest in plugging the gap in quality in the wide receiver positions. Other than Julian Edelman, who has been known to cry wolf when it comes to concussions, the Patriots are relatively light on wide receivers. Through the regular season, Tom Brady struggled to build any chemistry with the other wide receivers on the Patriots roster. Interestingly, Brady's second-leading receiver was running back James White, who had 72 receptions for a mere 645 yards through the season. 

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The Patriots have struggled to fill in the wide receiver positions, leaving the Tom Brady contract up in the air. Arguably the greatest quarterback in the history of the sport, Tom Brady has time and again foregone bigger paychecks while signing a new deal with the Patriots over the years. Both, the Patriots and the Tom Brady will, no doubt, come to a consensus regarding his future, courtesy of the familiarity of over two decades of negotiations. 

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Where will Tom Brady play next year? 

It's not entirely unlikely that Tom Brady could choose to look for a new challenge after 20 years with the Patriots. The Tom Brady contract offered up by the Patriots is reported to be somewhere around the $30 million mark. The four-time Super Bowl MVP earned $7 million less during the 2019 season. While the Patriots remain open to negotiations, the money is not believed to be the sticking point for Tom Brady. However, reports have linked Tom Brady with a move to the newly christened Las Vegas Raiders. 

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