Re: Drew Brees regains NFL's record for completion percentage in a season
 

In American football, a game manager is a quarterback who, despite relatively poor individual statistics such as passing yards and touchdowns, performs well enough to win games. Game managers often benefit from strong defense and rushing offense on their teams.
Game manager - Wikipedia

In 2017...
Highest accuracy (in NFL history) - 72%
Highest yards per attempt - 8.09
Most completions - 386
2nd highest passer rating - 103.9
4th highest total passing yards - 4,334
5th highest 1st down %

These are not "relatively poor individual statistics", therefore, Brees doesn't fit the definition of "game manager."

Drew Brees 2017 salary is 5th in the NFL at $24.25m/year. Brees is a good deal by comparison to other quarterbacks. You could pay less but you're gonna get less of a quarterback.

Re: Drew Brees regains NFL's record for completion percentage in a season
 

A game manager to me is someone who plays a more conservative style and relies on shirt passing and running game, and who is not someone who puts the team on his shoulders when the running game and defense aren't there.

That would seem to describe Drew, this year. He had Kamara make a lot of short plays turn into big gains, and he had a running game finally. But when you he needed to step up and win a game when the running game wasn't there, he didn't seem to do so well. Being a game manager doesn't mean you are poor, it means you are conservative. The Saints employ shirt passing as an extension of the running game, and that allows for Brees to easily get his 4,000 yards. He only had 22 touchdowns and, again, was the beneficiary of an explosive RB on screen plays.

I gave you the comparison to Alex Smith, whom everyone has labeled as a game manager. Very similar stats all across the board and also averaged 8 yards per pass.

If you can keep Drew at 24 million a year, fine. We're talking about the next contract, and I've heard numerous people saying he's easily worth 30 million. To which, I disagree.

Re: Drew Brees regains NFL's record for completion percentage in a season
 

Rather than repeat myself, I'll refer you to my post right above this one for my personal definition of a game manager.

As for Trent Dilfer, I don't even think he was a good game manager. He honestly did almost nothing. They were winning games 10-7 and 7-3. Drew is not a bad QB. He's still a very good one. But I don't see him showing a consistent ability to take over games when he doesn't have the luxury of an effective running game and defense. I respect if people disagree with me. But I'm making what I see as a legitimate observation.

He's a QB you'd rather have than not, compared to most of what's out there. But, I wouldn't pay more than he's making currently, if it were up to me.

Re: Drew Brees regains NFL's record for completion percentage in a season
 

NFL is not moneyball, so just looking at stats holds less validity than it does in a sport like baseball.

Box scores tell quite a limited story of the events that unfold in the game itself.

There are quite a few teams looking for a leader, who would drown Brees in cash if he would be available.

I don't see anything in Brees' performances, which would warrant a change in that position. He is still top 5 in his position in the league, and would be extremely difficult to replace without taking a hit to the overall effectiveness of the offense.

The Saints are financially in an ok place, and with the ever increasing salary budget - re-signing Brees is a no-brainer IMO.

Re: Drew Brees regains NFL's record for completion percentage in a season
 

I realize and agree that just plain stats don't always tell the story. But I am aware from reading summaries and seeing what games the running game was there, or wasn't there (including the first two games that I DID watch, before I began boycotting), that Brees didn't really step up when he was called upon to carry the offense. So how impressive was his season, really? I am not thoroughly impressed.

I think there is a lot of bias on this board because of what Brees has done over his career. I expect the reactions I get. But I stopped being so biased about players, even when I was supporting the team, long ago. The guy is going on 40. It's ok to do what he's doing at his age. Is it elite? I've given my answer numerous times. You folks disagree with me. That's fine. I'm not one to say things for the sake of saying it, or stirring up controversy. I'm calling it as I see it.

Re: Drew Brees regains NFL's record for completion percentage in a season
 

Herein lies your misconception. Not only is nutrition a factor in how much longer a QB can perform at higher levels these days as compared to as recently as ten years ago, but actual pounding that the position takes has decreased exponentially over than same period. Also not taken into consideration is the year round physical training that several of today's QB's employ, as well as recent advancements in medical care. You are basing your entire opinion about the effective longevity of the current day QB on factors that are no longer valid.

It is like basing the performance of a present day computer upon your experience with the one you owned ten years ago. It's like comparing apples and hard cider.

Re: Drew Brees regains NFL's record for completion percentage in a season
 

The point that you are not getting is that Brees isn't simply a game manager. If you actually watched the games you would see that he is just as capable as he has always been. All you see are his stats which you interpret as a drop-off in ability. The reality is that the running game and an improved defense have lessened the need for him to put up the huge numbers. It hasn't been necessary, but to be as good as the Saints can be it is vital that the capability is there if, and when, it is needed.

Re: Drew Brees regains NFL's record for completion percentage in a season
 

How can you even make an argument about the physical ability of a player that you haven't even watched play? The Saints have had the ability to play a vastly different style of football this season based upon several favorable factors. The resulting statistics have nothing to do with the ability of the QB. You would know that if you had actually watched every snap Brees had played like the rest of us.

Re: Drew Brees regains NFL's record for completion percentage in a season
 

No you aren't calling it as you see it because you haven't seen it. THAT is the point. If you had seen it you would understand why you are so far off base. Nothing personal, but in this case you truly do not know what you are talking about because you have chosen to ignore one of the most important factors when evaluating the performance of an NFL player ... the eye test.

Re: Drew Brees regains NFL's record for completion percentage in a season
 

Brees has secured his spot to finish his career a Saint, there really is no discussion.