The calendar has just flipped to December, but with the Patriots sitting at 6-6 after losing back-to-back prime time games, some national discourse has already turned to their offseason.

Earlier this week, The Athletics Jeff Howe floated the Patriots among potential landing spots for Tom Brady this winter, and then Bill Simmons liked what he heard and decided to dump some lighter fluid on the fire.

So is there really a chance the 45-year-old soon-to-be free agent could return to New England?

MassLives Patriots beat writers Chris Mason and Mark Daniels decided to break the situation down. Heres how that conversation played out on Friday afternoon: Enter your email address here to receive MassLive’s Patriots newsletter every Monday and Friday.
      

Mason: So weve gotten to the Tom Brady rumors portion of the season already, eh? Speaks to where this offense is right now.

Daniels: I didnt think this season could jump the shark after Zappe fever, but here we are – discussing bringing back Brady with the Patriots still technically in the playoff hunt. New England fans are a fickle bunch.

Mason: Well, no need to keep our audience waiting. Lets get to this right from the jump. Do you think theres any chance 46-year-old Brady plays next season in Foxborough?

Daniels: Its not absurd, actually. I think its unlikely, but not impossible. Let me explain Patriots owner Robert Kraft has a great relationship with Brady. The quarterback even went to Krafts birthday/wedding 48 hours before Tampa Bay played a game. Theyre super close. For that reason, you cant rule it out. However, Kraft does like Mac Jones. Signing Brady during Jones third season is a sign youre probably done with your 2020 first-round pick. Its my understanding the Patriots like Jones and view him as their quarterback.

Mason: Kraft does love Brady. So what would you put the possibility of a return at? Gimme a percentage.

Daniels: Ill put it at 12%. Bradys options have dwindled to a certain extent. Hes not going to Miami, obviously. I could see Las Vegas. After that, maybe Tennessee? The Patriots are probably in the top five when you factor returning to Tampa Bay and just retiring

Mason: See, Im going lower than that. Id put it at 3%. Itd be such a shortsighted move, and the only reason Im comfortable even going to 3% is the possibility of Kraft intervening after likely going a fourth straight season without a playoff win. But if he does that and meddles in football ops, would Belichick bolt? Probably. Then everything goes nuclear.

Now lets put the ball in the coachs court. If Belichick didnt want to pay Brady the two-year, $50 million deal he got in Tampa at 43 years old, why would he pay him three years later? Brady has dusted Father Time thus far, but eventually hes going to catch him. Thats the nature of this human existence. And Brady is on pace for his lowest touchdown pass total since 2003 (ACL tear non-withstanding).

Say Brady comes back for a year, the Patriots make it to the Divisional Round, and then he rides off into the sunset. Then what? Theres no long-term vision here and Brady doesnt elevate this current roster to a Super Bowl winner. How soon we forget 2019.

While on the topic of how things ended here, you covered a good chunk of the tail end of Bradys time here, Mark. How would you characterize it?

Daniels: You make good points. The 2019 season was actually a driving force in why Brady wanted to leave. He was unhappy about personnel decisions – Antonio Brown being released, Demaryius Thomas being released/traded and the overall tight end depth after Rob Gronkowski retired (it was Ben Watson and Ryan Izzo).

Brady was so unhappy with the offensive weapons around him, he was actually in kind of a bad mood all season. He was unhappy after wins. Then you remember he put his house on sale, stepped down from the Best Buddies foundation and immediately pulled his kids from their school in Massachusetts once the Patriots lost to Tennessee. On top of that, Bill Belichick wouldnt let Alex Guerrero treat Brady in the facility anymore. There was a lot of drama there. Thats why itd shock me if he returned.

Mason: So thats where I think we stand. The possibility of a Brady return is slightly better than a Lloyd Christmas one in a million, but the odds are still really, really long.

Daniels: For our next debate, we can discuss what has better odds: Tom Brady returning to the Patriots or Robert Kraft firing Bill Belichick.

Mason: Zesty!