Brady, Pats thinking extension soonWith the NFL Draft fast approaching and rumors growing about a possible trade of backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, the New England Patriots have started talking about extending quarterback Tom Brady’s contract.The 39-year-old is signed through the 2019 season and has a cap hit of $14 million in 2017 and $22 million in both 2018 and 2019, the Boston Herald reported.On Thursday, Jeff Howe of the Herald tweeted: Tom Brady and the Patriots have expressed mutual interest in a new contract, per source. Very early talks. Nothing imminent.Brady will be 42 when his current contract expires. On Sunday, he told Peter King of MMQB.com that he would like to play well into his 40s.”I’d like to play until my mid-40s,” the five-time Super Bowl winner told King during a two-hour interview while in Montana on a family vacation. “Then I’ll make a decision. If I’m still feeling like I’m feeling today, who knows? Now, those things can always change. You do need long-term goals too. I know next year is not going to be my last year.Dolphins cutting Albert, WilliamsThe Dolphins are dumping a pair of high-priced and big-name veterans to start the offseason, with Miami expected to officially cut ties with both defensive end Mario Williams and tackle Brandon Albert.Williams, a former NC State standout, was acquired last year in the offseason when Miami let Olivier Vernon walk in free agency. He recorded a career-low 1.5 sacks in 2016 after signing a two-year, $17 million deal with the Dolphins. The former No. 1 overall pick of the 2006 draft, Williams ultimately lost his starting job to Andre Branch and was a healthy scratch in three games.Albert, who started 12 games this past season, has the team’s third-highest salary cap number in 2017. The 32-year-old was slated to cost $10.6 million against the cap for the upcoming season, but the projected move would save the Dolphins $7.2 million in cap space.Albert has played in 35 games during his three seasons in Miami but will give way to Laremy Tunsil, who is expected to be shuffled into the starting left tackle spot. Tunsil, who was the 13th overall pick of the 2016 draft, spent most of his rookie season at left guard.Ex-Falcons WR ‘would’ve fought’ ShanahanFormer Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Roddy White has a bone to pick with Kyle Shanahan following the latter’s play-calling that led to a 25-point lead evaporating against the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LI.”I’m glad I wasn’t a part of that team because I probably literally would’ve fought him,” White told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Jeff Schultz.The 11-year wide receiver took issue with Shanahan’s decision not to run the ball after Julio Jones’ catch put Atlanta in field-goal range in the fourth quarter. Shanahan was the team’s offensive coordinator before accepting the head-coaching position with the San Francisco 49ers.”You destroyed a dream for a city,” White said. “It’s bigger than me. The city of Atlanta needed that championship and you had it. (Team owner) Arthur Blank needed that championship and he deserved to win that game, with everything he’s been through. It was finally our time to win and it just hurt me that we didn’t get it done.”White claimed he would have jumped offsides after hearing the play call on a second-and-11 play in field-goal range.Shanahan told reporters he’ll live with those calls the rest of his life, but does not regret taking an aggressive stance during the game.Ex-QB Young eyes NFL returnFormer NFL quarterback Vince Young believes he has more in the tank.Young hired agent Leigh Steinberg in a bid to help the 33-year-old find a new home in the NFL. Young last played a snap with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2011, perhaps most famously remembered for his ill-fated “Dream Team” comment on a club that fell far short of expectation.Young is looking to achieve his “dream of playing more football, being (a) role model,” Steinberg posted on Twitter Wednesday.Texas Gov. blasts NFL over future Super BowlsTexas Gov. Greg Abbott ripped the NFL for threatening not to award future Super Bowls to Houston or Dallas if the state’s controversial bathroom bill is passed.Abbott, a Republican, told conservative radio host Glenn Beck that the NFL should stay out of politics.”The NFL is walking on thin ice right here,” Abbott said Tuesday on the show. “The NFL needs to concentrate on playing football and get the heck out of politics.”Last Friday, days after Houston hosted Super Bowl LI, the NFL responded to questions about Senate Bill 6, which if passed would require people to use bathrooms that correspond with the sex listed on their birth certificate. It targets transgender people and would be similar to a bill that passed in North Carolina that led to the NBA relocating the All-Star Game from Charlotte to New Orleans and the NCAA pulling seven championship events from that state last year.
