And when Brees does leave the Saints, fans will be wringing their hands like a bleeding heart liberal and saying the Saints should have paid Brees what he wanted.

I will be one of those people. Let's talk about a recently signed QB contract:

4 years, $72 million, $37 million guaranteed.

Here's the stat line 2015:

7 games started 5-2 record 61.8 completion percentage, 1900+ yards, 10 TD, 6 INT.

Now Brees' stat line from 2015:

15 games started, 7-8 record, 68.3 completion percentage, 4870 yards, 32 TD, 11 INT.

My point is that Brees is in a league where a QB with essentially no starts and no stats is worth $18 million a year and nearly $40 million in guaranteed money.

It really would not be overpaying Brees for a 3 year $75 million, with all the dollars guaranteed. And while the Saints are in no position to execute such a contract, there are teams in this league that could, and might do so.

That's the market now.

Honestly, I don't think any of us really knows what Brees' wants in compensation. But if you look at all the ridiculous QB contracts that have been signed since he signed his extension in 2012, it's certain that even reasonable numbers are in the stratosphere.

SFIAH

I will be one of those people. Let's talk about a recently signed QB contract:

4 years, $72 million, $37 million guaranteed.

Here's the stat line 2015:

7 games started 5-2 record 61.8 completion percentage, 1900+ yards, 10 TD, 6 INT.

Now Brees' stat line from 2015:

15 games started, 7-8 record, 68.3 completion percentage, 4870 yards, 32 TD, 11 INT.

My point is that Brees is in a league where a QB with essentially no starts and no stats is worth $18 million a year and nearly $40 million in guaranteed money.

It really would not be overpaying Brees for a 3 year $75 million, with all the dollars guaranteed. And while the Saints are in no position to execute such a contract, there are teams in this league that could, and might do so.

That's the market now.

Honestly, I don't think any of us really knows what Brees' wants in compensation. But if you look at all the ridiculous QB contracts that have been signed since he signed his extension in 2012, it's certain that even reasonable numbers are in the stratosphere.

SFIAH

2-5 actually

I don't think it makes sense that this Brees situation would be a smoke screen. If this deal had gotten done sooner, the Saints would have been in play for some quality free agents. Why would you purposefully drag this out for the mere POSSIBILITY that it will help you get the player you want in the draft, and then hope that player works out?

All the buzz about wanting this guy, or that guy, or trading up for the 1st pick... That's the kind of smoke screen you can do. You don't screw yourself in free agency on purpose, just for the off chance it might help you in the draft. That would be a really dumb strategy.

“Do I want to sign an extension? Yes, I do. Do the Saints feel that way? Yes. Do the fans feel that way? Yes. So we all agree on that,” Brees said. “That’s what we’re trying to do, is sign an extension that would not only keep me there but also reallocate money so that it opens cap room in various ways that would kind of fit the team and what we need. ... So I would say we’re all being pro-active in that way.

“There’s no timeline or deadline to this. It’s very open-ended,” Brees added. “Maybe once the draft occurs and now you’ve got kind of all the pieces in place that you feel like, this is what we need and this is our team moving forward, then you’re in a better position to predict the cap for this year, next year and so forth.”

There is no "Brees situation". The Brees extension, which I guarantee will take place, has always been in a position to be completed AFTER the draft as I have been preaching for months. In an interview yesterday Brees came right out and said the exact same thing saying ...



Everything is right on track. Stop worrying, everybody.

There is a discussion ongoing, centered around Drew Brees. Therefore I will call it the Brees "situation" if I jolly well please. My point, in case you missed it (you did), was that this is no smoke screen. I did not say no deal will be done. I'm sure it will be done.

Rookie contracts are not that big of a deal. I see no point in waiting till after the draft, simply for that reason. I'm a fan of building through both the draft and free agency. I don't like an all in on one or the other, philosophy. Our Super Bowl season will show you the balance of how that team was constructed. Lot's of key free agents, and draftees. Plus Vilma, via trade.

This isn't like Major league Baseball, where you have 40 freaking rounds to stockpile every year, to build with, and to use prospects as currency.

First of all, rookie contracts are still a bit of a deal if you are interested in trading back up into the first round for a second pick. And free agency is not yet over. There are still a number of possibilities out there that teams are waiting on to find out how they did with the draft. Trades are also a possibility. There is no reason to finalize the Brees deal before the draft unless it became necessary. It could have if Norman became an option for the Saints, but he settled with Washington right out of the gate and never even gave the Saints a chance.

Oh, and I got your point about the smoke screen. Most of my reply was guided toward other members around here.