TheOak

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees will know within a week whether he'll collect nearly $4 million more than the NFL said he is due if he is franchise tagged for a third time in 2013.
Brees, represented by the NFL Players Association, had an hour-long grievance hearing against the league before Special Master Stephen Burbank in Philadelphia on Wednesday. The purpose of the hearing was to gain clarity on the interpretation of franchise-tag rules -- and the money involved. Burbank said he will rule within a week, according to an NFL source.
Since Brees was franchise-tagged by the Saints this offseason and was tagged by the San Diego Chargers in 2005, he and the NFLPA believe that if the Saints place the franchise tag on him in 2013 -- the third time in his career he'll be tagged -- he'd be due an increase of this season's $16.4 million tag salary of more than $7 million (around $24 million total).
The counter argument is that the Saints would only be tagging him for the second time so Brees should only earn a 20 percent salary increase that would be for roughly $19.6 million in 2013.
Though this would set precedent for similar cases in the future, as it pertains to Brees, it could end up being a moot point. The team and its franchise quarterback are working on a long-term deal that could average between an estimated $18 to $20 million a season.
That contract has to be finalized by July 16, or Brees has to play under the $16.4 million franchise tender for this season.


Drew Brees' franchise-tag grievance ruling expected in a week - NFL.com

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