Saints,Brees remain at loggerhead over contract talks

WhoDat!656 · 02-19-2012, 02:50 PM

Back on Feb. 2, Sporting News ran a story saying New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees expected to have a new contract in hand soon. Hasn't happened: Brees and the team continue talking but have yet to reach accord after more than a year of discussions.

Both Brees and the Saints want to cut a deal. Yet failure to settle up with their franchise cornerstone puts the Saints in a fix. There is no hint of rancor at this point, but it remains perplexing that a contract with clear definition in terms of money, time and necessity has yet to be concluded.

Drew Brees has yet to punch out a deal with the Saints. (AP Photo)

Comparables are clear for a Brees contract. Peyton Manning received a five-year, $90 million deal last season—which in hindsight is a bad one for the Indianapolis Colts. Tom Brady got a four-year, $72 million deal from the New England Patriots in 2010 and took them to the Super Bowl this season.

If GM Mickey Loomis can't complete talks with Brees and his handlers in time, there is a possibility he could designate Brees the Saints' franchise player, Jeff Duncan notes on NOLA.com. That tag must be applied by 3 p.m. March 5, but it would give the sides the certainty they are believed to want while continuing negotiations on a long-term deal.

One possible knot: Brees could be looking for $100 million in his deal, according to various media reports, something Manning reportedly could have sought before accepting his $90 million pact.

Part of the problem for the Saints might involve their long list of potential free agents. In addition to Brees, Loomis is looking at the possibility of losing top wideout Marques Colston, guard Carl Nicks, wideout Robert Meachem and starting cornerback Tracy Porter.

So the Saints likely have a math puzzle to answer. Do they keep Colston to retain a top playmaker for Brees? If so, does that necessarily eliminate Nicks unless he agrees to a hometown discount? Complicating that equation is the seven-year, $56.7 million contract they cut with Jahri Evans last year. Evans, like Nicks, is a guard—and SI.com suggests Nicks is better than Evans

Read more: QB Drew Brees, Saints remain at loggerheads in contract talks - NFL - Sporting News

02-19-2012, 02:50 PM	#1
WhoDat!656 10000 POST CLUB Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Shreveport,Louisiana Posts: 16,086	Saints,Brees remain at loggerhead over contract talks Back on Feb. 2, Sporting News ran a story saying New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees expected to have a new contract in hand soon. Hasn't happened: Brees and the team continue talking but have yet to reach accord after more than a year of discussions. Both Brees and the Saints want to cut a deal. Yet failure to settle up with their franchise cornerstone puts the Saints in a fix. There is no hint of rancor at this point, but it remains perplexing that a contract with clear definition in terms of money, time and necessity has yet to be concluded. Drew Brees has yet to punch out a deal with the Saints. (AP Photo) Comparables are clear for a Brees contract. Peyton Manning received a five-year, $90 million deal last season—which in hindsight is a bad one for the Indianapolis Colts. Tom Brady got a four-year, $72 million deal from the New England Patriots in 2010 and took them to the Super Bowl this season. If GM Mickey Loomis can't complete talks with Brees and his handlers in time, there is a possibility he could designate Brees the Saints' franchise player, Jeff Duncan notes on NOLA.com. That tag must be applied by 3 p.m. March 5, but it would give the sides the certainty they are believed to want while continuing negotiations on a long-term deal. One possible knot: Brees could be looking for $100 million in his deal, according to various media reports, something Manning reportedly could have sought before accepting his $90 million pact. Part of the problem for the Saints might involve their long list of potential free agents. In addition to Brees, Loomis is looking at the possibility of losing top wideout Marques Colston, guard Carl Nicks, wideout Robert Meachem and starting cornerback Tracy Porter. So the Saints likely have a math puzzle to answer. Do they keep Colston to retain a top playmaker for Brees? If so, does that necessarily eliminate Nicks unless he agrees to a hometown discount? Complicating that equation is the seven-year, $56.7 million contract they cut with Jahri Evans last year. Evans, like Nicks, is a guard—and SI.com suggests Nicks is better than Evans Read more: QB Drew Brees, Saints remain at loggerheads in contract talks - NFL - Sporting News
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