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Saints are suffocating themselves by clinging to Drew Brees
Saints are suffocating themselves by clinging to Drew Brees
By Adam Stites @AdamBCC on May 23, 2016, 9:00a nding a good quarterback is difficult, but finding a great one is such a rare accomplishment that teams will do everything to make sure that player doesn't slip out of their grasp. And justifiably so. All NFL teams are in constant pursuit of a passer who can lead the way to a Super Bowl, so it seems crazy to trade one or let him walk. But at what point is it no longer worth it to cling to an aging quarterback when a roster is in disarray? Drew Brees, 37, is due to count $30 million against the New Orleans Saints' salary cap in 2016, after counting $23.8 million against it in 2015. It's a crippling amount for a franchise that has had one of the NFL's worst salary cap situations for several years. Of course, the Saints could get a reprieve soon if a contract extension with Brees defers some of his salary to later seasons and eases up the burden on New Orleans for 2016. The quarterback sounds optimistic that a new deal with the Saints is on the way too. "I'm very confident that it will [get done]," Brees told Sirius XM Radio in April regarding his contract negotiations. "I've got one year left, so it's not the end of the world if it doesn't and we play through the year. I'd rather not do that." But what's the point? The Saints finished dead last in points allowed, and discount shopping for players like James Laurinaitis and Nick Fairley isn't the best way to turn things around. Drafting Sheldon Rankins and Vonn Bell is a good way to begin the rebuild of the franchise's defense, but grooming those young players to eventually lead a top unit will be an exercise in patience. And that's where holding on to, and throwing record contracts at, aging passers becomes a pointless act. Paying Brees more than $20 million is a move for an impatient team looking to win right away, but that's not the Saints ... or at least, it shouldn't be. Brees accounts for nearly 20 percent of the Saints' salary cap, a much higher percentage than any other player in the NFL. While dead money to players no longer on the roster like Junior Galette and Brandon Browner is a big part of the problem for the Saints, Brees is easily the most damaging contract. Philip Rivers carries a $21 million cap hit, which represents 13.4 percent of the San Diego Chargers' salary cap in 2016. Eli Manning will cost the New York Giants $24.2 million against their cap, or 14.5 percent. Both players are on the tail end of their careers, but worth the money so long as the Chargers and Giants believe they can rebuild around their veteran quarterbacks in time for another Super Bowl run. Pulling off one of those rebuilds is more difficult with a cumbersome contract to work around, though. In Kobe Bryant's final seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, he played on a contract that reflected his lengthy accomplishments and Hall of Fame career. But the team fell into disarray around him and struggled to work around his crippling deal, especially when his eroding skills meant he was no longer the top player he had once been. The play of Brees, Rivers and Manning hasn't dropped off the way it did for Bryant, but the Saints, Chargers and Giants can take a lesson from the NBA and avoid sinking with their own franchise greats. Comment: Don't agree with the conclusions, but there are some interesting talking points; and the pie graph will get your attention... |
Re: Saints are suffocating themselves by clinging to Drew Brees
Our roster isn't in disarray.
We frequently back-load contracts then restructure. Perhaps he didn't notice all of the defensive players we've signed and drafted over the last 2 seasons. |
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:needle:
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Re: Saints are suffocating themselves by clinging to Drew Brees
He's right if this D don't get fixed. 30 million is a lot to play any player if the team finished at 7-9 for 2 years straight. At 38 this would be the last season I would pay. I don't think to many teams if any sign him to a 4 year big money deal after this season.
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Re: Saints are suffocating themselves by clinging to Drew Brees
As a Lakers fan, I can tell you that the situation the organization put themselves in is far worse than what we've done. Just look at the recent winning percentages. And Kobe's max contract was just one of many issues that affected the product on the floor. You have to also consider the Steve Nash deal and losing our patriarch Jerry Buss.
A good quarterback ain't cheap, and a cheap quarterback ain't good. The Saints know that from decades past. |
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Drew hasn't stopped us from signing or drafting anyone who would be that difference maker on defense. |
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Forget that. This is a highly inappropriate comment. :broccoli: |
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Re: Saints are suffocating themselves by clinging to Drew Brees
Dumb dumb dumb. Brees is still our best player. He's the reason why we always have a chance to win in every game we play. We dont need a top 5 defense. If we have a top 16 D, we have a legiimate chance to win the whole thing.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk |
Re: Saints are suffocating themselves by clinging to Drew Brees
He's acting as if players like Drew Brees come along every season, news flash - they don't.
If we get rid of Brees before the time is right it won't be our defense that's the problem. |
Re: Saints are suffocating themselves by clinging to Drew Brees
And worth every dime.........
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Re: Saints are suffocating themselves by clinging to Drew Brees
Yeah lets not pay a legend of a QB to pay for a top defense and get a Dalton/Texan playig there,cause it worked wonders for them
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Re: Saints are suffocating themselves by clinging to Drew Brees
I feel suffocated reading all these BS articles.
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Josh Norman: Family swayed him to pass on Saints for Redskins | NOLA.com |
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It's foolish to think the Saints have not gotten every penny of the $100 million that was committed to Brees for his 5 year extension in 2012. Looking at the production and salaries of other NFL QBs, it's a flat bargain. Quote:
But the problem falls squarely back on the Saints. The next QB will not be Drew Brees. Not even close. Not better than Drew Brees at 40, or 41 either. So a decision has to be made. Try to reach the mountaintop again in a short window with Brees, or start over. SFIAH |
Re: Saints are suffocating themselves by clinging to Drew Brees
There's no replacement for Brees in free agency or on our roster. If there's something in free agency we really want Brees would restructure to make sure we could make it happen. When his contract is up, I'm perfectly fine with us resigning him for $20-22 million a year.
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he hasnt cost us 30m each year
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Drew is really our only hope for the next couple of years. There is literally nobody out there in college or otherwise who will be available that could help us excell in spite of ourselves. Drew has made us excell in spite of crappy defensive play, crappy special teams play, and a crappy kicking game for years.
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Re: Saints are suffocating themselves by clinging to Drew Brees
How is keeping the BEST QB in the league suffocating us? It seems to be suffocating the dumbarse who wrote the story with his own crap he spews!
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Re: Saints are suffocating themselves by clinging to Drew Brees
What an insane thing to say.
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Re: Saints are suffocating themselves by clinging to Drew Brees
Drew Brees performances have been undeniable...
But I'm not sold that we couldn't have another quarterback come in and be successful enough for us to win and not break the bank... Saying it's all Brees is shortsighted and not giving Coach Payton enough credit for his brilliant offensive scheme... Luke McCown tested the Panthers' defense better than any quarterback in the league last year and very nearly beat them...in their own house! There will be life after Drew and there will be wins with Coach Payton at the helm... And I'm not sold that Brees is a top five quarterback with Payton... Don't care for the characterization of the summations the writer makes; but there are valid questions and talking points... |
Re: Saints are suffocating themselves by clinging to Drew Brees
Brees is still an elite QB in the NFL. He deserves to get paid. As a Saints fan, I'm glad he's the Saints QB. Do I wish he would be happy with a paltry $20 million a year giving the Saints another $10 million to spread around on other talent? Sure. Do I think the Saints could go 7-9 with McNown or Grayson under center? Sure. Do I think the Saints could go to the Super Bowl without Brees? Absolutely not. And isn't that always the ultimate goal?
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Re: Saints are suffocating themselves by clinging to Drew Brees
Who knows Payton might be liking the way Grayson is looking? Look at the way Green Bay did with Favre .Pretty boy Rodgers has done well. I think a good system goes a long way. Our O has been off the chart at times(2011) but for whatever reason our D has been sub-par at best. Williams and Sharper(2009) was the best we had and nothing since then Ryan got a 4th rank D on paper but even with that they never looked good together, certainly not a cohesive unit. Before I would turn over the helm to Grayson I would build a solid front line on O with a strong run game and have a stout D to go along with it. Right now Brees has got us wins, stayed tight in close games and has been very good at it but there will be life after Brees one day. I just don't see being able to sign him to a friendly contract.
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