NFL: Thoughts On The Drew Brees Contract Situation

[pauliwood]

(03-02-2012 01:14 AM)Va Falcon 88 Wrote:  As much as we all know Brees won't jump ship to another team, I wonder if they would have the balls to use the franchise tag on Nicks or Colston and let Brees hit the open market knowing he would resign down the road.

With teams willing to ship truckloads of high value draft picks to the Rams, and teams at large waiting for Peyton, I don't think it would be wise to let Brees anywhere near the open market. The Saints, much to our chagrin are not run be fools, surely the don't make the mistake of taking that gamble, especially with what looks to be a huge quarterback carousel in the off-season.

There are 3 high class QB's available (Luck,RG3,Manning)
There are 4 teams reported looking for a franchise QB (Colts,Browns,Dolphins,Redskins)
There is 1 team that is libal to make a play even with a playoff QB (Broncos)

The math says the Saints get this done quickly.

[RFlagg]

Got a new wrinkle from Saints GM Mickey Loomis. If this is true it means things are about to get nasty between Brees and the Saints.

Report: Saints GM Mickey Loomis Sees Drew Brees As ‘Very Good,’ Not Great

Quote:Jason Cole of Yahoo! Sports reports that the New Orleans Saints see Drew Brees as merely a “very good,” not a “great,” quarterback and are looking to pay him accordingly.

Cole cites three sources saying that Saints GM Mickey Loomis corrected others calling Brees “great” during a conversation about Brees’ contract negotations this week at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis.

Brees and the Saints reportedly remain $5 million apart on a new deal for Brees, who finished up a six-year, $60 million deal in New Orleans this past season. The Saints are looking to clear up salary cap space for other moves, including a guaranteed deal for defensive end Will Smith.

Brees set an NFL single-season record with 5,476 passing yards in 2011. His accomplishments in his six years with the Saints include four playoff berths and a championship in Super Bowl XLIV.

[pauliwood]

Okay, I take it back, the Saints ARE run by fools.

[RFlagg]

I'm starting to think the blame is on both sides in this one:

Drew Brees: First 3 years said issue

Quote:The New Orleans Saints and quarterback Drew Brees are millons of dollars apart on a new contract as the Monday franchise tag deadline draws near, sources tell ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

The two sides, both of whom believe they are making a fair offer, are facing a gap of $5 million per season for the first three seasons of the proposal, sources told Schefter.

Brees, who led the Saints to their only Super Bowl championship and broke Dan Marino's single-season passing yards record last season, is seeking a contract that averages $23 million per season for the first three years of his deal, sources told Schefter. That's the same amount Peyton Manning's contract averages the first three seasons.

The Saints are offering Brees a five-year contract that averages $18 million a year, sources told Schefter. That's the same average that Manning and New England's Tom Brady are due to earn over the life of their deals.

If the two sides cannot make considerable progress from where they are now, the Saints will be forced to use their franchise tag on Brees by the Monday deadline.

Brees has said he is confident a deal will get done by the deadline.

If the Saints can get Brees signed to a long-term contract extension, they would have the flexibility to use their tag on another player. What makes this important is that the Saints have two other marquee free agents, wide receiver Marques Colston and Pro Bowl guard Carl Nicks.

The 2011 offensive player of the year arrived in New Orleans in 2006, less than a year after Hurricane Katrina struck. Since then, Brees has passed for more yards (28,394) than any other quarterback in the NFL while lifting the Saints to new heights and simultaneously helping the region heal from Katrina's devastation.

In 2011, Brees set NFL single-season records with 468 completions, 5,476 yards passing and a completion percentage of 71.2. His prolific passing numbers helped the Saints set a new NFL high for total offensive yards in a season with 7,474.

The 33-year-old Brees led the Saints to a 13-3 regular-season record and second NFC South division title. New Orleans defeated Detroit in the first round of the playoffs before falling in the final seconds of its divisional-round game at San Francisco.

$23 million per? Jeez, talk about wiping out your cap space. Even after restructing Will Smith, that would take the Saints down to around $7 mil. And here I had always heard Brees wanted to keep everyone around him to make the team better. I guess not.

[Templar]

Now that this bounty thing has sprung up, I wonder if Brees is going to sit back and see what sanctions are laid down on the aints. If, as some writers are speculating now, Payton is fired, or forced to resign, or banned, do you think Brees will want to come back? According to the report, Loomis was aware of the bounty system as well, so something could happen in the front office as well.

So, to make a long story short, if things weren't already complicated enough between the two sides, they just got worse.

[RFlagg]

(03-03-2012 05:29 PM)Templar Wrote:  Now that this bounty thing has sprung up, I wonder if Brees is going to sit back and see what sanctions are laid down on the aints. If, as some writers are speculating now, Payton is fired, or forced to resign, or banned, do you think Brees will want to come back? According to the report, Loomis was aware of the bounty system as well, so something could happen in the front office as well.

So, to make a long story short, if things weren't already complicated enough between the two sides, they just got worse.

And the Saints have now tagged Brees as well. Exclusive rights because I'm sure they realized that a team would be willing to pay the $23 million they weren't.

[AsylumGuido]

(03-02-2012 01:23 PM)RFlagg Wrote:  I'm starting to think the blame is on both sides in this one:

Drew Brees: First 3 years said issue


$23 million per? Jeez, talk about wiping out your cap space. Even after restructing Will Smith, that would take the Saints down to around $7 mil. And here I had always heard Brees wanted to keep everyone around him to make the team better. I guess not.

This was all a ploy by Condon to force the Saints to tag Brees so they couldn't use it on his other client, Carl Nicks. He high-balled the Saints with the $24 mil number. Actually, the tag will free up cap room to make a play to keep Colston now.

[markdzul]

Pay Brees that 23 million, he deserves it... If Matty Ice brings us a super bowl win this year, I say he deserves 25 million per year... However He will not do that, he will take a reasonable contract and ask to have the money spread amongst his teamates... the shermanator knows whats up..... yes.. couple of glasses of wine.... quit yer bitchen saints fans..

[Radical]

Here's a quip from the Saints Report from one of the posters there...

Quote:he doesn't have the arm like marino or the mobility of rodgers and needs a strong rushing attack or short passing game to make him what he is.

And no one really disagrees with that... at all.

[Radical]

More fun...

Quote:Drew is great, but a lot less great when he doesn't have solid protection in front of him.

Quote:what is the 2012 salary cap? 122mil?

Without Brees we are at 94 mil.

That leaves a 28 mil to sign some solid defensive personnel, and keep Nicks and Colston.

We go through the season with Chase Daniels and address the QB position next year either in the draft or free agency. I think Matt Schaub is coming up in 2013.

Look around. It's not all bad if you take the emotion out of it. We can survive and even thrive.

I'm not even going to bother taking all the quips from that site questioning Brees, his ability, his arm strength, etc. They are turning on their savior, and it's delicious.