Drew Brees rumors: 5 best fits in free agency
It doesn’t seem to garner big news but New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees is actually a free agent this off-season.
One of the best quarterbacks in the NFL is technically a free agent this off-season and his name is Drew Brees. With all the drama surrounding Washington quarterback Kirk Cousins and his destination, Brees is flying under the radar. Now, part of that reason is because many expect Brees to remain in New Orleans. The smart money may be on that scenario, but the key word in that sentence is money. There are teams that could be willing to back up a truck load of money to secure the services of Brees to put their team over the top and make a run at Super Bowl 53.
Brees has led the NFL in passing yards in seven of the past 13 seasons and has thrown a ridiculous 408 touchdowns in that time period. Even though part of that is playing in New Orleans and an offensive system with with head coach Sean Payton, there is no doubt that Brees is still a top tier quarterback at the age of 39. He could be the missing piece to any number of teams if they have the money to give Brees to pry him out of New Orleans.
It’s not often a quarterback of this stature could be had in free agency and it will be interesting to see if Brees entertains any other team but the Saints. Any reference to a team’s salary cap is taken from overthecap.com and it’s important to remember that these are not set in stone at all. Those numbers will surely move between now and the start of free agency.
5. Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars are in a tough spot as far as quarterback goes. Blake Bortles had a roller coaster 2017 season that culminated in him playing extremely well in the playoffs. The Jaguars got to the AFC Championship game and gave the Patriots all they wanted for three quarters. They did eventually fall to the comeback wizardry of New England and Tom Brady and Jaguar fans had to wonder what the outcome might have been had Bortles made just one or two more throws in that game.
His stats look good but at the end of the day, he also just missed a couple throws that could have changed the outcome. Jacksonville has the defense to win a championship right now. Their offense has running back Leonard Fournette and a corps of young receivers that could be elevated by better quarterback play. All the pieces are there for Jacksonville to make a pitch for Brees.
Here’s where things get tricky for the Jaguars. Bortles is signed for around $19 million for the 2018 season. However, Jacksonville could cut him before June 1 and not have to pay Bortles a dime…if he’s healthy. The fifth-year option is guaranteed against injury and Bortles was forced to undergo surgery on his throwing wrist after the season. If he is not healthy by March 14 when the new league year starts, Jacksonville is stuck with Bortles for one more season.
Regardless of how Bortles ended his season, there is no doubt that the Jaguars are on the cusp of a potential Super Bowl. This spot would have to be fairly attractive to Brees if he looks elsewhere due to the nature of the team. Drew Brees is a clear upgrade and could accelerate Jacksonville’s timeline if they don’t have to commit to Bortles in 2018.