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NFL notebook: Brady yet to confirm he's playing in 2018

[April 19, 2018] Tom Brady is not yet officially committed to playing in 2018, but the New England Patriots and others close to him expect the 40-year-old quarterback to return for his 20th season.

ESPN reported that Brady did not give "official word" that he's planning to be with the Patriots, putting him in the same proverbial boat as tight end Rob Gronkowski. Brady, who turns 41 in August, was not present at the start of the offseason program on Monday. He is not expected to participate in the team's offseason program for the third time in his career.

"My money would be on him playing football for the foreseeable future, but what goes on away from the football field, I don't know," one source told ESPN, per the report Wednesday.

Brady, who is signed through 2019 and is due $14 million each of the next two seasons, could be angling for a contract extension, according to The Athletic's Jeff Howe. Brady would rank around the middle of the pack for NFL starting quarterbacks at his current pay rate.

--Saquon Barkley's agent says the Penn State running back has no intention of avoiding the Cleveland Browns at all costs in the NFL draft, contrary to a Sports Illustrated report.

"I can say on behalf of our entire team that we would be thrilled for Saquon to go to whichever team drafts him," Kim Miale, Barkley's agent, said in a statement to Cleveland.com. "We know he will be a resounding success for any team fortunate enough to select him."

Sports Illustrated reported Wednesday that Roc Nation, the agency representing Barkley, was pushing for Barkley to dodge the Browns if he is selected with one of Cleveland's first-round picks.

--Tennessee Titans general manager Jon Robinson said on Nashville radio station "The Midday 180" that the club will pick up the fifth-year option on quarterback Marcus Mariota's contract.

The move will give Mariota a $20,922,000 salary in 2019. He is slated to make $3.73 million this season. Picking up the option also gives both sides more time to negotiate a long-term contract for the 24-year-old QB.

Mariota guided Tennessee to its first playoff victory since the 2003 campaign last season despite an uneven campaign in which he passed for 3,232 yards and 13 touchdowns against a career-worst 15 interceptions.

--Gronkowski purchased a minority stake in a racehorse named Gronk, a 3-year-old colt that will run in next month's Kentucky Derby. There was no immediate word on the purchase price.

"I've never dealt with horses," Gronkowski told the Wall Street Journal. "Hopefully I can get a ride on the horse."

Gronk the horse was purchased by Phoenix Thoroughbreds for over $400,000 in England last year. Trainer Jeremy Noseda and his family are huge Patriots fans and the decision was reached to name it after the player nicknamed "Gronk."

--Carolina Panthers tight end Greg Olsen said he plans to play several more seasons despite a recent audition for ESPN's "Monday Night Football."

Olsen is one of several individuals given a formal audition for ESPN's coveted spot in the Monday night booth vacated by Jon Gruden, who is back in the NFL as head coach of the Oakland Raiders. Olsen attempted to short-circuit talk of his impending retirement and tried to dispel the notion he was only angling for a contract extension with the Panthers.

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He tweeted Wednesday, "Lets try it another way 1) Team was first to know about ESPN Audition. Made it clear at that point my desire to play 3-5 more years with PANTHERS. 2) Never gave team ultimatum regarding my contract or lack of commitment to this upcoming season. Now back to OTAs."

--With ESPN yet to announce a replacement for Gruden, NFL Network's Kurt Warner is getting "serious consideration" for the job, according to USA Today.

Per the report, Warner has had multiple conversations with ESPN about the position and is on a narrowing list of top candidates.

A member of the 2017 Hall of Fame class, Warner has appeared on NFL Network since 2010, shortly after he retired from the Arizona Cardinals. He has served primarily as a studio analyst, though he called select games during the 2010 season and a pair of contests with NBC's Mike Tirico on "Thursday Night Football" in 2017.

--The families of those killed or injured in the Feb. 14 school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High and 18 graduating seniors will help the Miami Dolphins in next week's NFL draft.

The Dolphins will host the students and family members at their Davie, Fla., practice facility, where they will announce the team's picks from the fourth through seventh rounds on Saturday, April 28. Miami traded away its fifth-round pick but has additional picks in the fourth and seventh rounds.

The Dolphins have donated more than $100,000 to the Parkland, Fla., community in the aftermath of the February tragedy. The team also hosted a football clinic in Parkland in March.

--The Denver Broncos have added up to $3 million in achievable incentives to cornerback Chris Harris Jr.'s contract for 2018, according to ESPN.

Per the report, the incentives are linked to playing time, team wins, All-Pro recognition and interceptions.

Harris, 28, is set to make at least $7.4 million this season, with the new incentives bringing his potential earnings to $10.4 million. He was paid a $1 million option bonus earlier this offseason and is in the fourth year of a five-year, $42.5 million deal signed in December 2014.

--Devin Hester and Matt Forte signed one-day contracts with the Chicago Bears, clearing their way to retire with the organization they started their careers with. Both players spent their first eight NFL seasons in Chicago.

Hester was drafted 57th overall by the Bears in 2006 as a cornerback but became an instant sensation as punt and kickoff returner. He had five return touchdowns in his rookie year and followed it up with six the next season.

Forte enjoyed his greatest success with the Bears after being drafted out of Tulane in the second round in 2008. He ran for 1,238 yards and eight touchdowns as a rookie and went on to rush for more than 1,000 yards in four of the next six seasons.

--Field Level Media

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