Robert Kraft Says He's Hoping Tom Brady Either Returns to the Patriots or Retires

The talk of the NFL's impending offseason will be Tom Brady's future with the New England Patriots, the organization that drafted him back in 2000 and with which he's won a whopping six Super Bowl rings.

Brady, of course, is set to become a free agent, and debates in sports bars across the nation are now centered on whether or not he will return to Foxborough. For his part, Patriots owner Robert Kraft only wants one of two things to happen: No. 1, obviously, is that TB12 runs it back with New England. The second option, which seems highly unlikely at this rate, is that he calls it a career and retires.

That doesn't surprise us, but, unfortunately for Kraft, it's Brady (not New England) who has all of the leverage once contract talks ensue. For starters, the organization would have to take $13.5 million in dead cap money to the chin if he's unsigned once free agency begins on March 18.

If Kraft and Co. fully intend on keeping the GOAT around for another year or two (or potentially more, based on Brady's apparent agelessness), they better get down to business.

This offseason is shaping up to be a doozy. At the very least, given how the Pats bowed out in the Wild Card Saturday against the Titans -- something that goes completely against their nature -- they've got to do everything possible to make sure Brady comes right back.