New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is more probably than not the best quarterback in the NFL. However, he is not the highest paid player at the position, which means: he is a bargain for the team. His bargain-status does not change in the future even after the detail's of Brady's newest contract extension have been made public.
According to ESPN's Field Yates, Brady's contract breaks down as follows:
Source: Tom Brady’s 2-year extension with the Patriots has officially been signed. It includes a $28M signing bonus and $41M in new money.
Tom Brady’s new cap hits by season:
2016: $14M
2017: $14M
2018: $22M
2019: $22M
While the contract runs for four years, it has $1.0 million team options for both the 2018 and 2019 seasons. This means, that the Patriots can easily opt out of the contract after 2017 or 2018 by simply not picking up the option bonuses.
Another nugget: Brady's base salaries for 2016 and 2017 are now only $1.0 million, while his 2018 and 2019 salaries baloon to $14.0 million each. Added up, Brady's $22 million average per year ranks 22nd among quarterbacks.
He is and remains a bargain.