Last Call for Bruschi in 2010?

Last week LB Tedy Bruschi expressed the possibility of playing beyond this season. Before kicking off the “Tee Off with Tedy” golf event, Bruschi said is attention is on this season and he won’t look beyond 2009. But after he finishes this season, he will check how he feels and decide then.

However he decides, I doubt Tedy will make it a long and drawn out process like former Green Bay/New York Jets quarterback Brett Favre. He’ll figure it out soon and get back to the coaching staff.

The good news for the Patriots is Bruschi is his own agent. With this being the final year of his contract, if Bruschi decides to play another year, he is unlikely to shop around looking for the highest bidder. Money isn’t what drives Tedy. He appreciates the Pats taking that chance on him in the 1996 NFL Draft and cherishes the moments associated with the three Super Bowl championships. If Bruschi plays an additional year, he wants it to be with New England.

The bad news for Bruschi, though, is will he be considered useful enough to the team? You don’t win championships by being sentimental. Bruschi witnessed that approach first hand.

Head coach Bill Belichick, while expressing how difficult the decisions were, still released safety Lawyer Milloy, traded linebacker Mike Vrabel, and already replaced safety Rodney Harrision well before Harrision announced his retirement.

This year Bruschi’s roster spot is safe. He will start next to emerging LB Jerod Mayo. But already Tedy is being phased out. Bruschi predominantly plays on run downs. When it’s an obvious passing down, Gary Guyton replaces Bruschi.

The 36-year-old Bruschi is too much of a veteran to sense Guyton’s footsteps getting closer so it won’t affect his play. But Tedy knows that football is a sport for the young. He might not have much time left before Belichick and the coaching staff determines Guyton, or someone else, can do the job better than Bruschi.

After the 2007 season, receiver Troy Brown was a free agent with the option of continuing his career. If he did so, it wasn’t going to be with the Patriots as Belichick had already replaced Brown following an injury-marred season that allowed Troy to play in just one game.

Bruschi finished last season on injured reserve because of a knee injury. He’s fully recovered now, but another abbreviated season could be the next step towards the exit for Bruschi, with the door closing on his Patriots career for good.

In my other writings, I view the Brett Favre-Minesota Vikings drama from the eyes of the players most affected by the eventual signing, Tavaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels.