Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints face $10 million gap in guaranteed money
 

Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints still must close a significant gap in guaranteed money to agree on a five-year contract worth about $100 million by Monday's looming deadline for a long-term deal, a person familiar with the negotiations told the Associated Press.

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According to an Associated Press report, the biggest holdup in the Drew Brees contract negotiations is in the amount to be guaranteed.
The AP report said the sides were more than $10 million apart in the guaranteed portion of the contract Wednesday, quoting a source on condition of anonymity because talks the talks are ongoing.

The stakes are high for both sides and the negotiations have lasted for months, including long gaps in communication between the camps.

Brees, who is 33 and entering his 12th season, has never before had the chance to negotiate a contract on par with the elite quarterbacks of the game. The Saints, meanwhile, risk alienating the best quarterback in franchise history, not to mention their fan base, by failing to make an offer to his satisfaction by Monday -- the deadline for players with the franchise tag to sign long-term deals.

Several months ago, Brees first raised the possibility that he would not report to the opening of training camp if all that was on the table at that time was the one-year franchise tag of about $16.3 million. People familiar with the quarterback's plans say that remains the case.

Brees has said he does not want to play under a one-year contract with no long-term security in the coming seasons. He did it once before, with costly consequences, when he played under the franchise tag for San Diego in 2005 and wound up with a career-threatening injury to his throwing shoulder.


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Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints should be able to overcome gap in guaranteed money as well as total value of long-term contract

When discussing the contract standoff between Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints, we usually boil it down to the most important number - the average total salary. But there have always been similar gaps between the two sides when it comes to the "finer points" of the deal, such as the amount of guaranteed money and the amount to be paid out in the first three years.

According to an Associated Press report on Wednesday, a source familiar with negotiations said the two sides remain more than $10 million apart in the amount of guaranteed money. That fits with details The Times-Picayune has gleaned from sources as well, though we have never confirmed a specific dollar amount.

Guaranteed money is very hard to define in such specific terms because some contracts include "fully guaranteed" money, some including guarantees for injury only and some including guarantees that either kick in or disappear after certain bonuses are paid. For instance, Detroit Lions receiver Calvin Johnson's megadeal earlier this year reportedly included $60 million in guaranteed money. But a closer breakdown revealed that it includes $48.75 million in full guarantees. Then if an option bonus is paid next year, it will include just $37.25 million in full guarantees and $22.5 million in injury guarantees.

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady's 2010 contract reportedly included $48 million in guarantees, and St. Louis Rams quarterback Sam Bradford's 2010 rookie deal reportedly included $50 million in guarantees, though it's not clear how they were structured.

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Knew it! All of this is over structure.... The guaranteed part.... I'm assuming the Saints are offering $40M guaranteed and Drew wants $50M guaranteed ..... Brady has $48M guaranteed.

Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints reportedly $10 million apart
 

NEW ORLEANS -- Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints still must close a significant gap in guaranteed money if they are to agree on a five-year contract worth about $100 million by Monday's looming deadline for a long-term deal, a person familiar with the negotiations said.


The sides were more than $10 million apart in the guaranteed portion of the contract on Wednesday, the person told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because talks are ongoing.
The stakes are high for both sides and the negotiations have lasted for months, including long gaps in communication between the two camps.
Brees, who is 33 and entering his 12th season, has never before had the chance to negotiate a contract on par with the elite quarterbacks of the game. The Saints, meanwhile, risk alienating the best quarterback in franchise history, not to mention their fan base, by failing to make an offer to his satisfaction by Monday -- the deadline for players with the franchise tag to sign long-term deals.
Several months ago, Brees first raised the possibility that he would not report to the opening of training camp if all that was on the table at that time was the one-year franchise tag of about $16.3 million. People familiar with the quarterback's plans say that remains the case.
Both sides have offered proposals that would give the Saints more flexibility under the NFL's salary cap than New Orleans would have if Brees played for the franchise tag the club has placed on him. In those proposals, a relatively low base salary number in the early years would be offset by guaranteed signing bonuses that are pro-rated, for salary cap purposes, over the life of the contract.
Such a contract structure would increase the salary cap burden of Brees' contract significantly in the final years, but the salary cap likely will be higher by then.
If the two sides can narrow their differences on the guarantees, the remaining portions of the contract should be easier to figure out. The two sides are working from a framework of five years. The difference in the annual average pay is about $1.25 million, with the Saints' last offer at about $19.25 million and Brees' last proposal at about $20.5 million.
However, it is not yet clear how much Brees is willing to come down from a $20.5 million annual figure that some in his camp have argued is low, based on past trends.
If the deadline passes without a long-term contract, Brees could still hold out for a one-year contract worth more than the current franchise tag. Brees could also hold out until the Saints put it in writing that they will not use the franchise tag on him again next season, allowing him to test the open market.
Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press





Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints reportedly $10 million apart - NFL.com

A good read and some insight to the reality and not the speculation.

It will get done. Both sides need this. 1.25 a year is not much. 10 mil in guaranteed is not overwelming. They will meet somewhere are 7 mil guaranteed and right at 20 a year. Im not worried at all.

Thought you were going to keep this in one thread???

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I never received executive approval.

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NFL.com version
Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints reportedly $10 million apart - NFL.com

Yeah. We've created a MONSTER.

WHAT WOULD BREESUS DO?!

Alaska

:(

Just for whatever it's worth, I am in favor of compounding the misery of waiting around into one single generalized thread.

So does this mean Drew is not the Saint we though he was. 10 million dollars a part. Wow. Wait and see, The ball is in Drew court.

10 mil in guaranteed money on a 100 mil contract is not that much to work out.

I know. Monday July 16 he will sign. A deal will get done.

its a done deal, cha ching lets go to work and get payton another ring, and goodevil a bus ticket to unemployment line.

10 million dollars...........if l were Drew l'd meet in the midle.

He will.... Monday @ 3:59 pm EST

It it were only 10 million total guaranteed he were asking for, it wouldn't be much. He is asking for an extra 10 million on top of whatever the Saints have already offered him, which could be very significant depending on just exactly how much they HAVE offered. But, I haven't a clue what's currently been put on the table. I think we can all agree that no matter which side you're mad at in these negotiations, they will eventually come to an agreement.

I wonder what type of a deal Rodgers is going to sign next offseason, because the way things are going and with the amount of cheerleading he has gotten from the media - he has to be looking for a massive contract.

It would be interesting if Rodgers signed a "lesser" contract with the Packers without any holdouts while Brees and the Saints have been fighting to get this deal done for almost two seasons now - it would certainly cast an unpleasant light on Brees who is thought to be this "team first" type of a player/leader.

The largest contract in NFL history.

The largest contract and all involved are the best in the game. Who woulda thought we'd be in this position a few years back.

I've tried to remain upbeat and positive throughout this whole process. And to a degree I still am , but those dang butterflies are causing my inards a lot of grief as the deadline looms before us. I can only hope that a compromise of some sort is hammered out here in these last few days and Drew signs. The alternative if he doesn't is too bad to comtemplate.

GREED GREED GREED GREED !

I think at age 33 he has almost no leverage. It wouldn't make sense to play for a tender and sitting out isn't an option. So he has to sign the best offer the Saints give him.

I'm all for shooting his agent too. Just sayin...

The market and his productivity is his leverage: Drews Productivity average has been top of all lists for a few years now.

Drew Brees: 1 SB Ring Age:34 Contract: RFA

Tom Brady: 3 SB Rings Age: 34 Contract: 9/9/2010: Signed a five-year, $78.5 million contract. The deal contains $48.5 million guaranteed, including a $16 million signing bonus and a $4 million second-year roster bonus. 2012: $950,000 (+ $10.8 million "signing" bonus), 2013-2014: $9.75 million (+ $5 million roster bonuses)

Payton Manning (turned down 25m/year and health is arguable): 1 SB Ring Age: 36 Contract: 3/20/2012: Signed a five-year, $96 million contract. The deal includes $18 million guaranteed -- Manning's 2012 base salary. The guarantees can rise to $60 million (Manning's 2013-2014 base salaries) if he passes a physical on March 13 of 2013. 2012: $18 million, 2013-2014: $20 million, 2015-2016: $19 million, 2017


Mannings Contract is what is driving this...

His market worth would be up the roof if he were to play under the tag this season, and win the second SB with the Saints at NOLA. Then next offseason he'd have more leverage against the Saints, who'd place the tag on him again in order to have negotiation peace, but would hardly be willing to pay about 20% of the whole cap to just one player.

That's true, but on the other hand, this year he's coming off a season in which he shattered a 25+ year old yardage record AND set another record for accuracy. He's the biggest reason the Saints went 13-3 again. He's arguably the most valuable player in the league today. He really can't be worth much more than he is right now.

He risks having a sub par season and having his value drop somewhat. If he were to throw for less than, say 4500 yards, or his completion percentage drop to 66% (just making up numbers here) or if the Saints don't win more than 10 games, there will be plenty of writers doing stories about how it's really Payton that makes this offense run or how he's not so special when he doesn't have the best guard in football protecting him...etc, etc and he'll be another year older which might further decrease his value.

I don't mean to imply that he'll be worthless but he runs a very significant risk of being worth less.

Correct... The Risk/reward isn't in favor of him if he plays under the FT this year.

Winning a second SB is a long shot and takes into account a lot more than just QB and QB health... Two years ago our running back core was crippled. This is a year with out Payton... He could get hurt.... He could throw for one yard less than last year and the critics would say he didn't preform as well....

His time to strike is now...

I agree.

Just my opinion but I that's what Tom Condon is thinking too. Hold out for as long and as much as possible, and then when he's squeezed the team for as much as he can get, sign the offer.

That's business!

Geez, everyone understands business. Yet for some reason other quarterbacks aren't holding their team hostage to the bitter end. All the condescending remarks I keep hearing or reading about this being a leverage game are getting old. We all know, we get it... It doesn't make this any less ridiculous.

He's being offered more than market value, but he wants more guaranteed money. Whatever. Let's see what happens on monday.

That's true. But we all want it to be about more than business. We all want to believe that Drew cares about the Saints, the fans and the city of New Orleans.