Drew Brees’ 6 year 60 million dollar contract with the New Orleans Saints is over. This same contract that sent Brees to NOLA instead of South Beach in 2006. The Miami Dolphins felt more secure going with Dante Cullpepper instead of Brees and have been paying the price ever since.
In his 6 years with the Saints, Brees had an amazing run. Drew has enjoyed a Pro Bowl, two post-seasons and a Super Bowl Championship in his time in NOLA. In just one day, all of these events (especially the Championship) seem fouled.
The announcement of a one-year suspension of New Orleans head coach Sean Payton has tainted the Saints recent history. Payton’s impending absence has also obscured the team’s future. A future that many of the current Saints free agents might not want any part of. One free agent that could be in play is Drew Brees.
Peyton Manning’s recent free agency has exposed the desire of certain organizations for a marquee Quarterback. The New York Jets, San Francisco 49ers and Cleveland Browns have all kissed and made up with their starters. The Miami Dolphins, Kansas City Chiefs, and the Tennessee Titans could all throw their hats back in the ring for the Peyton Chase II – The Drew Brees Lottery.
Michael David Smith from ProFootballTalk.com commented today.
PFT: The big question now is how this (bountygate) will affect Brees going forward. Brees is a free agent tagged with the exclusive franchise tender, which means he’s not under contract with the Saints but isn’t allowed to negotiate a contract with any other team, either. Brees was already reluctant to sign the exclusive tender offer, and he’s surely going to be even more reluctant now that his beloved head coach won’t be there.
If this makes Brees less willing to sign with the Saints, then the news is only getting worse in New Orleans.
The 33 year old Brees will most likely not to want to wait around a year for the Saints to have a head coach. In the event Sean Payton is back in New Orleans from his year suspension in 2013, he will need time to rebuild his team and reputation. It will be a while before the Saints are back on top.
The Saints are battling the biggest image problem in the history of the NFL. A public battle with a disgruntlled Quarterback is not what this team needs right now. The best thing for the Saints is to trade Brees get a draft pick back and move on. The events of today could finally, 6 years later bring Drew Brees to South Beach…stranger things have happened.
The Miami Dolphins still have a huge question mark at the quarterback position. Yet, the question remains the same, can Jeff Ireland and Stephen Ross get the deal done.
