Saints coach Sean Payton said this week that soon-to-be free agent quarterback Drew Brees will be back with the team. Today Brees said he agrees with that sentiment completely.
Brees told the Associated Press he would be “beyond stunned” if he and the Saints don’t reach an agreement on a contract extension.
It’s hard to imagine the Saints without Brees, and the Saints would surely use the franchise tag to keep Brees if that’s what they need to do. But that possibility at least raises the question of whether Brees would miss time in the offseason program while they’re hammering out the details of what could be the league’s most lucrative contract. So even though all sides agree that Brees will be back, that doesn’t mean it will be a painless offseason while they get the deal worked out.
Brees also said he hopes that his deal doesn’t prevent the Saints from re-signing other free agents, including guard Carl Nicks and receivers Marques Colston and Robert Meachem. That’s going to be a tall order: Colston won’t give the Saints a hometown discount, and Nicks is expected to leave.
So Brees will be back. But likely with less talent around him.