What he's worth is subjective. When they dealt him, they got what they could. At the point of the trade deadline you aren't gonna make the decision "Well we wanna deal Jimmy but we only got offered a early 2nd rd pick, let's keep him for 3 months then let him be a FA". You're gonna take the pick. A high 2nd rd pick is a highly coveted pick.
They could've franchise tagged him in the upcoming offseason and dealt him then but that would've been a potential mess with teams knowing they aren't going to keep both him and Brady. They may have just had to rescind the tag eventually. And they likely want to have the threat/use of the tag for Malcolm Butler.
Maybe they could've got more during the last offseason, but they wanted to see if Brady would hit a wall in 2017, once he didn't they decided to keep Brady. Or they thought hold onto Jimmy into the season and a Sam Bradford to Minn or Carson Palmer to Oak type haul for Jimmy would materialize. But it didn't happen so they just dealt him to the highest bidder.
Fair enough.
I just don't feel they really shopped him around, I think ... and it's My own opinion that they ( the Pats ) picked who they wanted to trade with it.
there were a few more teams that needed a QB.
Yes I know that they said they wouldn't send him to Cleveland because they were doing him a favor. Just think they could have got a late 1st rounder for him from someone else.
Thanks