Since the New Orleans Saints saw their 2017 season come to a close, the primary focus has been shifted toward working out a new deal with star quarterback Drew Brees. There is a clear-cut desire from both sides toward getting it done over the next few weeks.
The Saints are pushing up against the clock with Brees potentially becoming a free agent if another contract isn't in place before the start of the new league year on March 14. With that in mind, Ian Rapoport of The NFL Network is reporting that the Saints are set to begin the negotiation process at the NFL Scouting Combine next month around the annual salary between $20 million and $25 million. (h/t Chris Wesseling of NFL.com)
“Is Brees going to break the bank as he did previously? Probably not,” Rapoport explained earlier this week. “I know the Saints certainly do not see him eclipsing even really what he had last time. … It's really about finding the sweet spot somewhere in the low-to-mid twenties to extend him, but yeah, he is going to be their quarterback.”
At this juncture, the Saints are currently projected to have just over $32 million in salary cap space projected for this upcoming NFL offseason. The possibility of Brees' $18 million salary cap hit in signing bonus would take a significant chunk of that financial flexibility away to make moves in NFL free agency. This alone should lead to more urgency from the front office to hammer a new deal with Brees.
The strong level of interest on both sides should bode well in making it an easy contract negotiation process with the only true question being how many more years that Brees wants to continue to play. The 39-year-old is still playing at a high level finishing this past season fourth in the league with 4,334 passing yards, first with a 72.0 completion rate, and second with a 103.9 passer rating. It also marked his 12th straight campaign with more than 4,000 passing yards, and his sixth overall posting a passer rating above 100.
Brees did experience a notable drop in touchdown passes, but that occurred due to the Saints' balanced offense that now features a formidable two-headed running game led by Pro Bowlers Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara. It may just be a matter of time before this contract situation with Brees is sorted out in the coming weeks.
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