I really hope this isn't Brees's last year
 

I have heard rumblings on this board all offseason that people think he hangs it up after this year. I hope you are wrong, but it's clear what direction the NFL is going in and Luck's retirement just cemented that. Also, take into consideration the screw job that happened in January. Who wants to continue having to play for Roger Goodell and today's officiating? Who wants to continue playing against a bunch of immature teams and arrogant players? Brees is not that kind of guy.

Re: I really hope this isn't Brees's last year
 

How does Luck's retirement cement a future of early retirements? One look at the list of injuries he sustained in his short career sums up why he is hanging it up -

» Torn cartilage in 2 ribs
» partially torn abdomen
» a lacerated kidney that left him peeing blood
» at least 1 concussion
» a torn labrum in his throwing shoulder
» and this mysterious calf/ankle issue that led to this

I'm pretty sure these injuries had more to do with retirement than Roger Goodell and officiating.

Re: I really hope this isn't Brees's last year
 

Luck is the exception not the rule.

Re: I really hope this isn't Brees's last year
 

U and me both . Will until we see consistency with teddy with the 0nes. We will go thru some growing pains same goes with greatsome taysum.

Re: I really hope this isn't Brees's last year
 

The biggest concern with Brees is his age and the fact that his stats tanked so hard in the final month of the year. That's where we all have concerns going into this year.

Completely different from what Luck's case is. Brees has had a much longer career too.

Re: I really hope this isn't Brees's last year
 

I’m thinking Brees was more in pain then losing arm strength toward the latter. He got steam rolled by 3 players after a botched INT against the clowns. A pick that was called off for Pass interference. Just yappin.

Re: I really hope this isn't Brees's last year
 

Re: I really hope this isn't Brees's last year
 

After that game . Against the cowboys he had nothing behind that arm.

Re: I really hope this isn't Brees's last year
 

And don't forget...

• some away games on grass
• good defenses
• playoff teams :rolleyes:

Re: I really hope this isn't Brees's last year
 

40 is just a number with Brees. Condition wise, I'd say 32. My guess is is he can play until he's 44. I believe he will play for 2 more years after this year.

Re: I really hope this isn't Brees's last year
 

Line play will play a key roll. If he’s running for his life all season it’s going to be tough to want to come back and do it all over again. Armstead is good for 8 games tops and we saw how bad it looked last night when they pulled him.

Re: I really hope this isn't Brees's last year
 

Players say they don’t care about numbers but they all do. Drew will stay around long enough to keep Brady from surpassing is records.

Re: I really hope this isn't Brees's last year
 

He looked insanely good Saturday night. He was chucking it all over the field like the old Purdue days! We all know he's much closer to the end of his career than the beginning, but I really honestly think that if we keep on having these well-coached, All-Pro Offensive lines that we've been blessed with, the sky's still the limit for him.

Re: I really hope this isn't Brees's last year
 

barring any unforeseen serious injury, Brees can easily go at least 2 more years.
But.... if the unthinkable should happen, which could happen on any snap, we're actually in better shape at QB depth than we've been since Delhomme.
Not Bridgewater, not Taysom, but collectively both of these guys can run this offense at a high level. When Sean said a couple of years back that "Drew's replacement is in the house" (referring to Taysom), he was right. But it's not Taysom exclusively. It's TB & Hill. I could see them both sharing snaps on every drive. It could be a beautiful thing.

Re: I really hope this isn't Brees's last year
 

Cam Newton needs to retire soon.

Re: I really hope this isn't Brees's last year
 

we good yo

Re: I really hope this isn't Brees's last year
 

Because that has worked so well at the NFL level in the past.

Re: I really hope this isn't Brees's last year
 

It did!! Gary Cuozzo, Bill Kilmer, Gary Wood..............CHAMPIONSHIP!!!
:lolup:

Re: I really hope this isn't Brees's last year
 

If the Brees/Hill combo is working here, why wouldn't a Bridgewater/Hill combo work too? It probably wouldn't work as well with a Brees-heavy designed playbook, but if Payton designed a playbook specifically for a Bridgewater/Hill combo, yes, absolutely I think it would work here.

Re: I really hope this isn't Brees's last year
 

One thing I'd like to note: I'm 95% convinced that Brees was hurt last year. He looked entirely different during the preseason game than he did in the late part of the season. He just flat out had more zip on the ball. It could be the season grind that wore down his arm, and he's fresh now.. but I'm skeptical of this. I just think he was injured. His mechanics even look different.

Re: I really hope this isn't Brees's last year
 

I hope it's not either.

Re: I really hope this isn't Brees's last year
 

This might be the year he stays healthy. I know its wishful thinking but you never know.

Re: I really hope this isn't Brees's last year
 

Not 0nly that he didn't have his O-line to give him time to step into the throw or look for the deep receiver. There were a lot of factors to his decreased play but I don't believe for a moment it was his arm strength. The back half of this season should be more telling of his true abilities.

As long as we have someone besides Thomas and Kamara for Drew to get the ball to then we won't be so one dimensional and he'll have more options besides throwing it away.

Everyone says Brady is still playing at a high level......well, so is Drew. He's had a severe shoulder injury and that needs to be factored in, but my gut says he could manage the game two years after his arm strength declines because he is so cerebral.