Tom Brady makes notable change to his contract with Bucs

Sep 9, 2021; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady (12) reacts after defeating the Dallas Cowboys at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Reper-USA TODAY Sports

Tom Brady has committed to playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers next season after he changed his mind about retiring, but the seven-time Super Bowl champion will be free to sign with another team if he decides to play beyond that.

Brady and the Buccaneers have agreed to a contract restructure, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The new deal creates $9 million in salary cap space for the team, but the most noteworthy aspect of it is that it does not involve an extension. The contract is still set to expire after the 2022 season.

Tom Brady and the Buccaneers restructured his 2022 contract today, creating over $9 million of added salary cap space for Tampa Bay as it gets ready to head into next week’s draft, league sources tell ESPN. Brady still is scheduled to be a free agent after this season.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 22, 2022

Brady restructured his contract with the Bucs prior to last season as well. That deal also freed up a significant amount of cap space, but it included a one-year extension. Teams often extend players to free up cap space. The Buccaneers almost certainly would have been open to giving Brady another extension, so it is safe to assume the 44-year-old did not want one.

It is possible that Brady only plans to play one more season. What seems more likely is that he wants to leave his options open. There have already been reports about a huge plan that was in the works for Brady to finagle his way to another team this offseason. If he wants to do that a year from now, there will be one less big obstacle standing in his way.