Five reasons why Drew Brees extension would be a mistake for Saints

4. Old Age

It’s hard to imagine, but Drew Brees is already 37 years old. His rookie season seems like it wasn’t that long ago — but it was 15 years ago. Brees has won the battle against time despite having a major shoulder surgery in January of 2006. However, time catches up to everyone eventually. It will catch up to Brees, and if history is an indicator, it will be soon.

Even though it has been 10 years since Brees’ shoulder surgery, one has to wonder how many throws he has left in him. He has thrown 6,276 passes in the regular season since his surgery and 8,085 over his career. Brees’ arm power has declined in recent years, but Brees has countered it with his accuracy and underrated mobility. How long will that remain the case?

When time catches up to a quarterback, the end result is not pretty. Just look at how quickly Peyton Manning went from being an elite quarterback to being Trent Dilfer. The Saints cannot afford to be paying Brees an elite quarterback’s salary when his inevitable decline begins.

It would be better for the Saints to find Brees’ replacement than to potentially be stuck with Brees once he declines. The 2017 free agency class presents some interesting stopgap options for the Saints until they find their franchise quarterback.

Next: 3. The Saints Aren't Super Bowl Contenders