Edelman supplies more Brady drama

Tom Brady’s pending free agency is shaping up to be one of the biggest off-season stories in recent memory, and the rumours are flying fast and furious as we approach mid-march, when free agents can begin negotiating with all NFL teams.

Will the six-time Super Bowl champion re-sign with the New England Patriots, the team for which he’s played his entire career?

Or Will Brady depart for a new team in an attempt to prove he can win without Bill Belichick as his coach?

The speculation took a new twist Saturday. Brady and Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman have joked about their close friendship, with both admitting the quarterback’s favourite pass-catcher often plays the role of pesky little brother.

That was on display for a national TV audience as the two, along with comedian Jimmy Fallon, took in the North Carolina-syracuse basketball game.

As the camera found the three, Edelman smiled as he mouthed the words, “He’s coming back,” presumably meaning the Patriots.

Sitting next to Edelman, Brady caught his drift, saying something that was open to interpretation as he shook his head in annoyance and smiled.

Did he say, “he’s not” or perhaps, “let’s not,” as in do this here and now? You decide.

The expression, as NBC Sports Boston’s Tom E. Curran tweeted, “seems to say, ‘I will strangle you. I will. I don’t want to. But I will.’ ”

Later, Edelman left no question about his thoughts, sharing an image of a red, white and blue T-shirt emblazoned with the words “STAY! TOM 2020 A quarterback you can trust” on Instagram.

Even Brady’s wife, Gisele Bündchen, is in the dark.

“I would love to know where I’m going to be living this year but I don’t know that yet,” the former supermodel said Friday on Instagram.