Tom Brady says he hopes to 'stay sharp' during 4-game suspension

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady declined to reveal how he plans to stay sharp while serving a four-game suspension to open the season while acknowledging that he expects it to be challenging to be away from the game he loves.

"I have ideas of what I need to do based on all the practices we've had and the limited playing time I've had," Brady said Tuesday. "My goal is to come back and be the best I can be, just like every other year and every other offseason. I'm going to do the best I can do over these next however many days, 30 days or so, to do the same thing.

"I think I still have a good day of practice [Tuesday]; I've tried to look at all these days of practice as ways to get better. I have access to the fields [until the suspension], throwing to my receivers, trying to use those days as best I could as I always would. Hopefully I have another opportunity to play Thursday night [in the preseason finale], be with the team Friday and then try to do the best I can over the next month to stay sharp. ... That part, I think will be very challenging, watching those games in September, but I'll find ways to preoccupy my mind."

Brady said he has "tried to just find different ways to be positive," before adding, "it is what it is at this point; we'll do the best we can do."

Brady also discussed his relationship with backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.

"I love being with Jimmy. I've enjoyed every day that we've spent with him," Brady said. "I wish him the very best, obviously, for our team, for him personally.

"When you see people that it means a lot to, you always want them to succeed as well. It will be tough to watch, but I'll be excited to watch and excited to learn and hopefully when I come back in October I'll be a better player than I am today."