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Benson made it clear he is giving general manager Mickey Loomis wide latitude in the negotiations, and thus he declined to offer any personal thoughts on the matter that has driven many Saints fans to distraction.

But Benson said he has talked to Brees and indicated again he does not consider relations between the team and its cornerstone quarterback to be strained.

He then offered something a gleam of hope to fretting Who Dats.

"It's going to be worked out," Benson declared. "I assure you that Drew Brees will be playing here."

When told Benson had essentially guaranteed Brees would guide the team, Loomis offered his only real laugh of an otherwise cagey, impromptu news conference.

"Well, I'm not going to second-guess the owner," Loomis said.

Loomis acknowledged that the two sides have not spoken for some time. But he also made it clear he does not regard that development as a refusal by either side to talk.

Though asked in a variety of ways, Loomis repeatedly declined to provide a glimpse into his thinking, or an opinion on why the contract negotiations have taken so long. Brees completed a six-year, $60 million contract with New Orleans last season and turned down a long-term offer during the 2011 campaign.


New Orleans Saints owner sounds an upbeat note on re-signing Drew Brees - New Orleans Saints Football NFL News - NOLA.com

NOLA54

You heard the MAN, Brees will remain a Saint. However, the sooner the better.

Rugby Saint II

If you are going to pay the man all this money then he should be in camp earning it!

Marlboro Man

First, how much is Payton Manning getting? Second, how much is Tom Brady making? Drew Brees has out performed both those QB's. Third, how much money is on the table from the Saints? Fourth, how much more than what's being offered is Drew asking for?

If the Saints are offering more money than Manning and Brady, then that's all they should offer unless it's like a dollar more. It should be at the very least 500K more and then it's all on Drew. Drew's a smart guy. He knows that if he goes elsewhere, he won't put up the numbers he's doing with the Saints. He may still pass that TD per game record but he also very well may not. We are trying to win another championship and we need to sign other players which we have done and now Drew's having a hissy fit cause we won't go 23mil ? That's just not feasible. Problem is, we don't know the numbers so we can't say anything, but we were the only team that really wanted Drew after his injury. Had we not signed him he wouldn't be where he is today, records and all. We stepped up and signed him again after the first contract which was high for what he had done up to that point and then he exploded. If we are offering more than the top QB in the game, take it or leave it. If Chase plays great this year, Drew's in trouble. Chase is younger and cheaper and if he lights it up, things will get interesting, maybe a trade?

|Mitch|

Manning is getting 20 million a year for the next 5, I think... That's averaged; it's like 18 mil for the first 2 years, 20 in the third, and 22 the last 2 years...

18 or 19 a year was the last I heard

He wants 23 a year and we just don't have the cap space...