Tobias-Reiper

It depends how you look at it, and how the deal is structured. The only number on the deal that matters is the one next to "guaranteed", and what does the guarantee cover. All other numbers can change, be paid, or vanish into thin air.

So when you hear Brees was offered $21 million a year, that doesn't mean they Saints would give Drew 16 checks worth $21 million every year. It just means that the possible earnings within the contract could average $21 million a year throughout the length of the contract.

As for the guaranteed money, not all guaranteed money is paid equal. For example, you can have a contract that guarantees your money of you get injured, but not if your performance drops below a certain level, in which case you can be cut and not see a dime more.

Right now, the 3 highest guarantees in NFL contracts are: Calvin Johnson $60 million, then Sam Bradford $50 million, then Brady $48 million, although we don't know the terms of the guarantees. In any case, any guaranteed money amount for Brees would need to start at least at $50 million, and then the guarantees would have to be the "right" guarantees in the eyes of Brees.

'Cause the simple man pays the thrills, the bills and the pills that kill