Drew Brees' representatives can now negotiate with other teams

Drew Brees is about to find out what the market has to offer him.

While he can’t sign a contract with any other team but the Saints until Wednesday, Brees’ agent, Tom Condon, can now begin negotiating with other teams, The Advocate reported Monday..

Brees’ contract with the Saints voids at 3 p.m. on Wednesday. If New Orleans doesn’t first enter into a new agreement with the quarterback, the $18 million in signing-bonus proration remaining on his contract will accelerate onto the 2018 salary cap in the form of dead money. The Saints can restructure that debt by signing Brees to a new deal.

While it would have been advantageous to sign Brees to a new deal before his representatives could discuss the parameters of a new deal with other organizations, his camp should have already gathered a good idea which teams would be interested in signing a quarterback before this window opened. As far as his value, all you have to do is look at some of the other contracts given to quarterbacks — including several negotiated by Condon — to see that Brees should be worth something around $25 million per season, and perhaps more.

Any good agent has had this situation pegged for months.

Still, it might not be time to worry if everyone is taken at their word. Minutes after the 2017 season ended, Brees stood at a microphone and proclaimed that he wanted to remain in New Orleans. When asked again at the Pro Bowl where he would be playing next season, the quarterback said bluntly, “the New Orleans Saints.” In another interview with WWL earlier this offseason, Brees reiterated he no intention of looking elsewhere for work.

“I don’t have any intention on shopping the market or going anywhere else,” Brees said. “I want to be a Saint, and I think they want to have me back.”

The Saints brass also shared the same message. At the scouting combine, both general manager Mickey Loomis and coach Sean Payton voiced confidence that something would get done, which is what everyone involved with the organization has said both publicly and privately all offseason.

“I don’t see that being a long, drawn-out process,” Payton said. “We’ve been here before. ... I think that’s going to get done fairly smooth.”

A deal still could get done within the next two days, but the fact is the clock is ticking. And even if Brees hits the market, he could still return to the Saints. It isn’t necessarily Wednesday or nothing at all, but it would be advantageous for both sides to come to an agreement before that point if they want to continue this relationship.

There are still several unresolved issues involving New Orleans’ cap, including the grievance over defensive tackle Nick Fairley’s health situation, which could net the Saints several million in spending money, but if Brees’ contract voids it could make it difficult to add much talent this offseason. The $18 million hit could leave the Saints with just around $10 million to spend before making other moves.

Both Brees and the Saints have to be aware of this reality. Given that the team was so close to reaching the NFC title game last season, and should have aspirations to go even further next season, it’s hard to imagine this game of chicken going over the first ledge if everyone wants to keep it together when all parties can see what damage awaits.

The benefit of getting this done sooner than later should be too obvious for that to happen. Deadlines have a way of accelerating outcomes, and there has yet to be a whisper to suggest New Orleans will be looking for a new quarterback or Brees is looking for a new home. It isn’t time to panic or to become worried — that moment won’t arrive until Wednesday if it arrives at all — but you can hear the clock now.

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