5 offseason moves New Orleans Saints need to make to return to playoffs
By John Buhler
1. Figure out how much you want to pay Drew Brees on a new deal
Since parting ways with Brees in his free agency is not going to fly in New Orleans, the Saints need to figure out a new deal for the greatest player in franchise history. It’s up in the air how long Brees will continue to play in the NFL, but if he is, he should never play for another franchise other than the Saints going forward. He’s earned that right to go out on his own terms.
What is interesting is how the veteran free-agent quarterback market will shake out. A guy like Brees or Tom Brady should be able to command at least $30 million annually on a short-term deal. A creative deal might be able to get Brees the contract he wants without being insulted, but the last time he took a huge contract, the Saints team suffered because of it.
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Once the Saints decide how much it will take to bring Brees back into the fold, the front office can figure out how to use the rest of its allotted cap space going forward. Unless the Saints want to pull the rug out from Brees for no reason, he will be back in New Orleans in 2020, looking to get back to the Super Bowl for the first time since the magical 2009 NFL season. Pay the man!