I hope Dude is ok! Somebody needs to go check on him.

IN A SALARY CAP MOVE TODAY...

SAINT CUT TOM BENSON TO MAKE ROOM FOR DREW BREES.

:lolup:

I didn't post on this topic shortly after he was Franchised because I knew it was going to come down to the wire. Glad we finally got Drew locked up. Now let's get back out on the field and put this offseason behind us!

Doesn't seem that bad, only I'm worried that the cap won't increase as much as was projected earlier, since there have been reports and announcements (f.e. Robert Kraft) that seem to indicate that the cap had already been adjusted in accordance to the looming TV deals in the new CBA, and so the cap won't experience a sudden hike after 2014 as was widely speculated. But, I guess the Saints' FO would know more about it than me...

Still, Brees is probably worth it, and they can always try to restructure towards the end of the contract if both sides are willing.

I'm so happy that this is finally done and that Brees stays a Saint, nevertheless, this ordeal has changed the way I view him - for the worse -although, on the other hand, I totally understand where he was coming from in the negotiations.

Then again, he has never been my favorite Saints' player, and probably never will be, mainly because he doesn't play on the defense. ;-)

:bng:

No sign of The Dude yet!

http://lp.imageg.net/prod?set=key[na...tomback.chain]

The details from PFT:
The details on Drew Brees new contract have made their way to PFT headquarters.

And they are spectacular.

Brees, per a source with knowledge of the deal, will receive a $37 million signing bonus and a $3 million base salary in 2012. The full signing bonus will be paid out within the next six months.

The $40 million paid in 2012 is fully guaranteed. For now, $20 million beyond 2012 is guaranteed for injury only. Next year, on the third day of the waiver period (typically, the third day after the Super Bowl), $15 million of the injury guarantee becomes fully guaranteed. The extra $5 million remains guaranteed for injury only.

In 2015, again on the third day of the waiver period, more than half of his $19 million base salary becomes fully guaranteed. Ditto for 2016; on the third day of the waiver period, more than half of the $20 million base salary becomes fully guaranteed.

The device in the last two years of the contract forces the Saints to cut him, if at all, sufficiently early in the offseason to give him a full chance to land elsewhere.

In all, he’ll receive $40 million this year, $10 million in 2013, $11 million in 2014, $19 million in 2015, and $20 million in 2016.

The new deal actually reduces Brees’ cap number dramatically, from $16.37 million to $10.4 million. Next year, his cap number will be $17.4 million. In 2014, the cap number will be $18.4 million. By 2015, when the new TV deals from 2014 hit the cap, Brees cap number will be $26.4 million. In the final year of the deal, the cap number becomes $27.4 million.

The structure makes it, in essence, a three-year, $61 million contract with a team option for year four (at $19 million) and year five (at $20 million).

If he keeps playing at a high level and stays healthy, he’ll potentially get it all. If not, he’ll be on the market before free agency begins, in 2015 or 2016.

Brees gets $37 million to sign | ProFootballTalk



salary cap expectations: NFL tells teams to project flat salary caps thru 2015: 2013 ($121 mln); 2014 (122 mln) 2015 (125 mln), and then in 2016 $130 mln.

Best Saints headline since beating the Lions in the wildcard round of the playoffs!!!

WHODAT!!!

Edit: Nevermind

I love this article. I want to make sweet love to it Chef from South Park style. I want to do dirty, dirty things to it.