Does Josh McDaniels' return to the Patriots bode well for Tom Brady's return, too?
It's one of the pressing Pats issues covered in the new episode of Tom Curran's Patriots Podcast, where Curran and Phil Perry discuss New England's offensive coordinator missing out on the Cleveland Browns head coaching job and sticking around Foxboro for at least another season.
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So, what does that mean for Brady?
"I think it's better for the Patriots to have Tom Brady surrounded by a better offensive line and better weapons in 2020 than any other scenario," Perry said, while noting, "How realistic is that, Tom?"
Curran is quick to point out that paying Brady may be costly in other areas.
"Do you have enough to replace your best offensive lineman in Joe Tuney, who's going to be a free agent and probably the second-highest-paid guard in the league when it's said and done," said Curran. "Or to go and get a tight end in free agency?"
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McDaniels' return is just one piece of the retaining-Brady puzzle.
"Brady would prefer to return to the Patriots IF a million things break the way he wants them to," Curran said.
Such as...
"IF the surrounding cast is better.
"IF there are tight ends to throw to.
IIF he has a little more say in some of the game-planning and weekly structure that he's had in the past..."
Also in the continuing Brady saga, Curran shoots down the report that Brady has moved to Connecticut and talks about the possibility of Bill Belichick leaving the Patriots, among other topics, in this latest edition of the podcast.