whodatworm23 Posted February 5, 2020 Share Posted February 5, 2020 “When I walk away, I don’t want it to be because I can’t play the game anymore because there’s 32 teams saying, ‘alright, see ya later,”. “I want it to be on my own terms first and I want it to be because I just want to spend more time with my family. I’m ready for that next chapter, when that time comes… I’ll know”. That’s the statement Brees made earlier in the week when asked about how long he wants to continue playing. Reading into that statement, it’s my belief that if Drew Brees wants to get what he says he wants he should retire this offseason and here’s why… If Brees truly wants to walk away on his own terms then this offseason is the time to do it. If walking away still being able to play at a high level means that much to him then continuing to come back puts him at risk on missing out on his opportunity to walk away on top. Brees (statically) had a great year this season and it’s clear that if he truly wanted to push the issue, he could likely play at least another couple years but it’s clear that he’s a declining player with diminishing skills. Brees also recently made statements regarding his unwillingness to play for another franchise at this stage of his career as he’s placed his future in either the Saints or retirement stage. So when you limit yourself to just one franchise you also have to take into account the state of that particular franchise. The Saints clearly would accept Brees back with open arms if he wants to return in 2020 but even the most diehard Brees fans can read the tea leaves and figure out that even if Brees does come back next year it will be in a transition year at the quarterback position as the franchise and coaching staff appear dead set on seeing what a Taysom Hill lead Saints offense would look like. This puts Brees in a position where while he may have visions of leading the Saints to the Super Bowl title in his final season he could also find himself ending his career like Eli Manning did, sitting on the bench being a good teammate as he watches the next in line finish the season as he awaits his eventual retirement speech… is that a chance Brees wants to take? Wouldn’t that go completely against everything he wants out of his retirement? Bottom line is that Brees has a vision for how he’d like to walk away from the game and I respect that but returning to the game from this point forward puts that vision in major jeopardy. Brees May feel like he can squeeze another great year out of his body but he also must come to the realization that his limitations has been exposed in the playoffs over the last 3 seasons in a row. Brees understands that the game is changing, the quarterback position is evolving and walking away the all time passing leader still on top of his game statically is the best he can hope for. In walking away now, Brees does it on his own terms… like he wants. While not a top flight quarterback anymore, he’s still a high quality starter which gives him the added value that he walked away still on top his game. Brees has a young family with young kids giving him a chance to truly enjoy valuable time with his family as he said he wants. Retiring now gives Brees everything he wants. Brees has nothing… NOTHING left to prove in this game!!! A sure fire first ballot Hall of Famer, retiring now allows Brees to be the vocal point of his Hall of Fame induction. I truly believe that the last thing Brees wants is to have to once again be overshadowed by Tom Brady once again at his biggest career achievement award. Retiring now allows Brees to walk into the hall at least 1 year prior to Brady giving him all the attention he rightfully deserves. As a Super Bowl champion and MVP as well as the all time passing leader at the time of his retirement, Brees will always be doubted by some in the media because he never won a league MVP or because he never won multiple Super Bowls. That’s something Brees will have to come to terms with but what he was able to accomplish as a sub 6 ft quarterback in the NFL, Brees’s impact in the NFL will be felt long after he hangs up his cleats. Brees also mentioned being ready for the next chapter… that’s always a major factor for players such as Brees when considering retirement. What does Brees envision for himself post playing football? Looking at his actions recently it’s clear that Brees is intrigued by a career in broadcasting beyond his playing days and I for one feel he’d be excellent in this arena. Tony Romo made a seamless transition to the booth following his retirement and as rumors persist has been offered a contract worth 10+ million per year by ESPN to leave CBS for the Monday Night Booth. Brees’s representatives have been in contact with multiple networks about Brees making a similar transition to the booth as Romo did. Like many times in business, you have to strike while the iron is hot and it might not ever be as hot for Brees in the broadcasting arena as it will be this offseason with the potential movement and needs in that market. Brees has said that he’ll take time over the next few weeks to decompress and reevaluate everything that goes into either returning or retiring next season. I for one as not just a Saints fan but a Drew Brees fan, hopes he opts to hang’em up. Not because I want to see him gone but because I want to see Drew get everything he wants in retirement and I feel that he’ll only get that this offseason. I appreciate everything Brees has done for this franchise, he saved this organization and NFL football in New Orleans and their will soon be a statue of him in Champion Square immortalizing him with this franchise for generations to come. Drew has nothing left to prove to the people of New Orleans and Saints fans around the world and even in post retirement Brees can and will continue to serve as a great ambassador to both the city of New Orleans and the Saints organization in all his endeavors moving forward. I’ll be happy either way but as a fan, I’d like to see Brees walk away with dignity and class… on his own terms. Whodat!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckoz24 Posted February 11, 2020 Share Posted February 11, 2020 I don’t think Brees retires until after Brady. Brady has the rings but Brees has the records. He will want to keep them going. Just my opinion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whodatworm23 Posted February 11, 2020 Author Share Posted February 11, 2020 1 hour ago, ckoz24 said: I don’t think Brees retires until after Brady. Brady has the rings but Brees has the records. He will want to keep them going. Just my opinion Is your opinion that Brees plays for another team? He’s already on record that it’s the Saints or retirement and just from a cap perspective Brees has 1 more year here tops. The Saints have a deep talented draft class (Lattimore, Ramczyk, Williams, Kamara, etc) to get extended and the front office already insinuated that those core players are the priority. So what I’m saying is that based solely on the business side of the game, For Brees to continue to play beyond Brady he’d have to do it elsewhere and go back on his word. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whodatworm23 Posted February 11, 2020 Author Share Posted February 11, 2020 Just for the record... it’s irrelevant what I’d like to see happen but I’ll tell you what I believe the Saints, more importantly Sean Payton would like to see happen. Neither will push Brees out the back door and if he wants to return for a farewell swan song season in 2020 they will oblige but Payton IMO not only wants to see Taysom Hill as the Saints starter soon, it’s my belief that Payton has done just about everything he could so far this offseason to send the message to Brees camp that maybe you should call it a career. I don’t care what he’s said publicly about Brees returning, the Saints franchise is typically pretty much bottled up when it comes to the media but all of a sudden leaks are abound concerning Taysom Hill. Even Payton himself out there doing his best to promote the guys potential. Many could view this as Payton building Hills trade value, I see it as Payton sending a message to Brees as far as how next season will play out if in fact he opts to return. Brees is still a productive player but it’s been 3 years in a row he’s wet the bed in the playoffs. Now the 2017 draft class rookie deals have come due and Payton knows more than most that we lost that Vikings wildcard game because he kept taking Hill out and putting Brees in. I feel secretly Payton is ready to move on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckoz24 Posted February 11, 2020 Share Posted February 11, 2020 2 hours ago, whodatworm23 said: Is your opinion that Brees plays for another team? He’s already on record that it’s the Saints or retirement and just from a cap perspective Brees has 1 more year here tops. The Saints have a deep talented draft class (Lattimore, Ramczyk, Williams, Kamara, etc) to get extended and the front office already insinuated that those core players are the priority. So what I’m saying is that based solely on the business side of the game, For Brees to continue to play beyond Brady he’d have to do it elsewhere and go back on his word. In my opinion and I have nothing more than that... he will play for the Saints one more year. I just can’t see him leaving yet. Either for records, Super Bowl or glory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jlowe22 Posted February 12, 2020 Share Posted February 12, 2020 I don’t know. It’s probably the right time for him to retire, but honestly I have a hard time caring right now one way or the other. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mid Iowa Posted February 17, 2020 Share Posted February 17, 2020 Brees won't play for another team, the Saints likely won't allow it. We owe him $21mil in dead cap space regardless of where, or if he plays next season, and I'd think the Saints sure as heck won't be paying him $21mil to play for another team. That said, why not call it a career, take that $21mil, and have an entire season's worth of body left to enjoy your net worth for the rest of your life. But show me a true competitor that calls it quits before they "feel" they should, and I'll show you a very rare beast. I just wish he'd make up his mind so the rest of the Brass can get along with what they need to do with all the remaining contracts that need negotiating. There's a $30mil variable with Brees. Hill won't command near that much, Bridge is probably closer to $20mil (maybe more, but not 30). That's a huge amount, and we've got D-backs that need contracts! Retire or Play, I'm good with it. Playing for another team, I'm not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raves Posted February 18, 2020 Share Posted February 18, 2020 2 hours ago, Mid Iowa said: Brees won't play for another team, the Saints likely won't allow it. We owe him $21mil in dead cap space regardless of where, or if he plays next season, and I'd think the Saints sure as heck won't be paying him $21mil to play for another team. That said, why not call it a career, take that $21mil, and have an entire season's worth of body left to enjoy your net worth for the rest of your life. But show me a true competitor that calls it quits before they "feel" they should, and I'll show you a very rare beast. I just wish he'd make up his mind so the rest of the Brass can get along with what they need to do with all the remaining contracts that need negotiating. There's a $30mil variable with Brees. Hill won't command near that much, Bridge is probably closer to $20mil (maybe more, but not 30). That's a huge amount, and we've got D-backs that need contracts! Retire or Play, I'm good with it. Playing for another team, I'm not. He's already been paid the $21 million. We don't actually owe Brees anything. The dead money is just in regards to cap space and how the NFL let's you offset signing bonuses over multiple years in regards to the cap rather than the year that the deal was signed. So for example if a player got a 5 yr 50 mil contract with 25 mil signing bonus (so actually 5/75 altogether) then instead of having a $35 mil hit year 1 due to the signing bonus, they allow you to spread it over the length of the contract/additional year with how restructures work. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whodatworm23 Posted February 18, 2020 Author Share Posted February 18, 2020 13 hours ago, Raves said: He's already been paid the $21 million. We don't actually owe Brees anything. The dead money is just in regards to cap space and how the NFL let's you offset signing bonuses over multiple years in regards to the cap rather than the year that the deal was signed. So for example if a player got a 5 yr 50 mil contract with 25 mil signing bonus (so actually 5/75 altogether) then instead of having a $35 mil hit year 1 due to the signing bonus, they allow you to spread it over the length of the contract/additional year with how restructures work. Which why another extension of his deal will cause this team to lose a young player in the end. Sucks but it is what it is, I’ve come to the realization that when the time comes to pay the piper for kicking the can down the road with Brees it’s eventually gonna cost us. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whodatworm23 Posted February 18, 2020 Author Share Posted February 18, 2020 15 hours ago, Mid Iowa said: Brees won't play for another team, the Saints likely won't allow it. We owe him $21mil in dead cap space regardless of where, or if he plays next season, and I'd think the Saints sure as heck won't be paying him $21mil to play for another team. That said, why not call it a career, take that $21mil, and have an entire season's worth of body left to enjoy your net worth for the rest of your life. But show me a true competitor that calls it quits before they "feel" they should, and I'll show you a very rare beast. I just wish he'd make up his mind so the rest of the Brass can get along with what they need to do with all the remaining contracts that need negotiating. There's a $30mil variable with Brees. Hill won't command near that much, Bridge is probably closer to $20mil (maybe more, but not 30). That's a huge amount, and we've got D-backs that need contracts! Retire or Play, I'm good with it. Playing for another team, I'm not. Report out today that Bridgewater expected to have a active market... could get up to 30 million on a multi year deal as either a starter or bridge QB. I don’t think he’ll see that but could very well get 50 million on a 2+1 deal from a team. No way Teddy could turn that down. I’m more interested in the level tender they put on Hill. A 1st round tender IMO gaurentees he’ll be back with Saints while a 2nd rounder makes it looks like the Saints would rather have the pick. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dome Posted February 18, 2020 Share Posted February 18, 2020 1 hour ago, whodatworm23 said: Report out today that Bridgewater expected to have a active market... could get up to 30 million on a multi year deal as either a starter or bridge QB. I don’t think he’ll see that but could very well get 50 million on a 2+1 deal from a team. I think those numbers are put out by his camp or Daks camp lol i see Bridgewater getting closer to around 22 per year (closer to what you are expecting) on a 2-year deal that can get torn up after 1 year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scar988 Posted February 18, 2020 Share Posted February 18, 2020 I'd love to see him retire. Because Taysom Hill and Teddy Bridgewater are both terrible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whodatworm23 Posted February 18, 2020 Author Share Posted February 18, 2020 2 hours ago, Dome said: I think those numbers are put out by his camp or Daks camp lol i see Bridgewater getting closer to around 22 per year (closer to what you are expecting) on a 2-year deal that can get torn up after 1 year Brees just announced on Twitter that hes coming back. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baldbob Posted February 18, 2020 Share Posted February 18, 2020 The result everyone could see coming. Be ready for more check downs then ever. Love the player but... His arm is shot. Hope we don’t get the Payton Manning ending. Or maybe I do. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dome Posted February 18, 2020 Share Posted February 18, 2020 7 minutes ago, whodatworm23 said: Brees just announced on Twitter that hes coming back. we all knew... he was talking about how to share snaps with Taysom several weeks ago he's not thinking about the offense and Taysom if he hasn't even decided if he's coming back yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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