A lot has been made of the 2015 season from the New Orleans Saints. The team sold off key players prior to the year beginning and then struggled during the year while missing the playoffs. At the center of the drama was Drew Brees somehow still managed to put up a big season, but with a large contract to his name faced question marks heading into the offseason. With Sean Payton set to return in 2016, Brees is expected to follow.
According to general manager Mickey Loomis via the Times-Picayune, the Saints will not be trading now releasing Brees this offseason regardless of what the rumored reports say. Brees finished the season with a 68.3 complete percentage and a 31:11 touchdown-to-interception ratio. That puts him as one of the best on the year, but his $30 million salary cap charge puts the Saints in a bind. Regardless of the contract, Loomis stresses that Brees stays in New Orleans.
"I know this: Drew's going to be our quarterback," Loomis said, via the New Orleans Times-Picayune. "We'll figure out how we're going to handle the contract, whether it stays the same and just remains right in place, or whether we do something different. That's all part of what we've got to figure out in the coming weeks. I keep reading how we're in dire straits with the cap and ... it's not a great cap situation, but it's not as dire as it's being made out to be. We know where we're at, we know what we have to do."
Brees might be staying put, but the reality is the quarterback is in his late 30s and has one more year on his current deal. The Saints must begin to think about the future which could come via the NFL Draft. A backup quarterback will be a priority for the Saints. They managed with Luke McCown when Brees missed time for a shoulder injury and torn plantar fascia, but he is not going to move this team into the future. The Saints could eye a mid-round quarterback like Christian Hackenberg, Connor Cook, Dak Prescott or Kevin Hogan who could all be taken as early as the third round. That would give the Saints their starting quarterback along with their potential future quarterback developing.
The Saints will have cap casualties this season if Brees is coming back. First on the list is expected to be CJ Spiller. The running back was a disappointment in New Orleans after signing a four-year, $16 million contract. He struggled to find a role on the team and could be on the chopping block as a result. Benjamin Watson may or may not return. He was a huge asset to Brees, but he is 35. Jairus Byrd and Marques Colston could also potentially be out as a result.
