If the Saints were unwilling to meet that number, Brees could have threatened to leave for the highest bidder next March.
Advertisement
Brees has missed only one start since arriving in New Orleans from San Diego in 2006 on a six-year, $60 million deal.
ESPN’s Ed Werder reported that Brees’ extension is five years, but it automatically voids to two. The deal includes $44.25 million guaranteed, per multiple reports.
He adds: “Brees now counts $30 million against the Saints’ salary cap – almost 20 percent of their available funds”. His 2016 cap hit will be reduced to $17.25 million.
It’s finally over! Drew Brees has agreed to a new deal with the Saints. He once again led the league in passing for the fourth time in five seasons when he totaled 4,870 yards while playing in only 15 games.
His 96 career 300-yard games are the most in the league, and Brees, who enters his 16 season, is now tied with New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady with 428 touchdown passes among active quarterbacks.
Brees was heading into the final year of his five-year, $100 million contract, and stated that he would stop negotiations once the regular season started this weekend.
On Tuesday, the Saints cut kicker Kai Forbath and brought in rookie Wil Lutz.
Advertisement
If the Saints are lucky, they will go 7-9 in the 2016 season, which opens Sunday at noon with the Oakland Raiders visiting the Louisiana Superdome. Under the latter scenario, it would’ve been the 3rd Franchise Tag of his career, guaranteeing him $43.4 million for a single season. I want to play my entire career here. Brees had reportedly been ready to resume contract talks, but only before the National Football League season starts this weekend. He completed 68.3 percent of his 428 passes with 32 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, keeping his average during the lifetime of his current deal with the Saints over 5,000 yards and 37 touchdowns per season. He will get at least the next two in New Orleans. New Orleans is not the only team to bring back a former key player in the same calendar year as his release; Green Bay got 50 catches and eight touchdowns out of James Jones last year after making the wide receiver an emergency signing in the wake of injury to Jordy Nelson. With Brees and his blindside protector set in place for the next few years, the biggest talent deficiency is on the defensive side of the ball.
