Drew Brees Seeking $100MM Deal

The Saints and quarterback Drew Brees have restarted contract extension talks over the past week and will make a push to reach a deal before Sunday’s opener, reports Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports. Brees, who has made it known that he doesn’t want to discuss his contract during the season, is seeking a four-year, $100MM pact, according to La Canfora (Twitter links).

Drew Brees

Brees’ asking price is a lofty one for a 37-year-old, especially considering no other NFLer averages $25MM per annum. However, the future Pro Football Hall of Famer hasn’t shown serious signs of aging to this point. Brees, a 16th-year man, is coming off his eighth straight season with at least 30 touchdown passes. He also eclipsed the 4,800-yard mark for the fifth consecutive year.

If the Saints and Brees aren’t able to find common ground by Sunday, the odds of this being his final season in New Orleans would seem to increase significantly. Applying the franchise tag to Brees next offseason would cost the Saints $43.2MM, which is certainly an unpalatable figure. As of now, Brees is set to count a quarterback-leading $30MM against the Saints’ cap and rake in $19.75MM – the second-highest base salary for a signal-caller – to conclude the five-year, $100MM contract he inked with the Saints in 2012. That deal made Brees the highest-paid player in league history, but several others have since passed him.

During his 10-year run in New Orleans, the ex-Charger has missed just two games, led the Saints to a 94-64 regular-season record, five playoff appearances, and a Super Bowl title to cap off the 2009-10 campaign. Along the way, Brees has thrown 348 touchdowns, recorded three 5,000-yard seasons, made eight Pro Bowls, and established himself as the Saints’ all-time best player.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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