Two years ago, Saints quarterback Drew Brees became a free agent after a playoff loss to the Vikings. There was never a question regarding whether he’d return to New Orleans.
Now, Brees will become a free agent after a playoff loss to the Vikings. Ten days short of his 41st birthday, his future is firmly in question.
“I’m not making any comments on that, other than, you know, I’ve told you guys this for the last couple years, I’ve always just taken it one year at a time and kind of reevaluate each offseason, and find the things I want to get better at, and move on,” Brees told reporters after the 26-20 loss.
At some point, his actions will do the speaking, whether through retirement, a new deal with the Saints, or a contract with a new team. And it may not be up to Brees. Despite his many contributions to the Saints, the future may be now in New Orleans. Indeed, it could be time for Taysom Hill, the best player on the field today for the Saints, to take the reins.
Coach Sean Payton has compared Hill to Steve Young, the Hall of Famer who nudged Hall of Famer Joe Montana out of San Francisco 28 years ago. It could be time for the 29-year-old Hill to finally get his shot.
Frankly, plenty of Saints fans would say that Hill should have gotten more shots on Sunday. The Vikings seemed perplexed by his presence, unable (or unwilling) to tackle him, and unable (or unorganized) to cover him.
Brees generated the highest passer rating of his career in 2019, not missing a beat after missing five games due to a thumb injury. Against the Colts last month on a Monday night, Brees had a game for the ages, completing 29 of 30 passes and breaking Peyton Manning’s all-time touchdown pass record.
Still, in the same offseason that could see Tom Brady move on from the Patriots, Brees could be moving on from the Saints. The only question at this point is whether he’ll choose to leave, or whether the Saints will give him a nudge. And then the question becomes whether Brees would play for another team.