New Orleans Saints: Team should still stick with Drew Brees

The New Orleans Saints are coming off their second straight losing season with many questions to answer. Especially with what to do in regards to quarterback Drew Brees.

No matter what happens in the season finale between the Saints and Atlanta Falcons on the road, a tough off-season awaits. The Saints have much to work on in hopes of once again turning the franchise into a powerhouse again while also understanding that a decision has to be made about Brees and his future with the franchise.

Truth of the matter is in January, Brees will be turning 37 years old and brings with him a hefty salary cap hit for 2016. He will count $30 million against the salary cap as he enters the final year of his contract. Considering that the Saints are already over the projected 2016 salary cap of $150 million, they will have to decide how to handle his contract heading into the future.

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Even with his foot injury, Brees has still played some pretty impressive football to end the regular season on a good note. He hasn’t thrown an interception in three weeks and has eight touchdowns heading into Atlanta. Needless to say, Brees can still get the job done effectively.

Brees has found major success with the Saints ever since he arrived in 2006 and won a Super Bowl in 2009. He’s been a part of the franchise during tough times as well, especially rallying the team and city of New Orleans during the entire Hurricane Katrina disaster and continues to have a huge presence in the community.

He also gives them the very best chance to win plenty of football games. The Saints should still stick with Brees and ensure he retires with the franchise since he still has what it takes to win plenty of football games. The Saints’ front office should restructure his contract and at the very least, give him an extension to keep him around for two to three more years.

Dec 27, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) throws before their game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

With rookie quarterback Garrett Grayson waiting in the wings, it makes sense for the Saints to keep Brees around to not only start for the next few years but continue developing him for the future. The Saints would also be wise to draft another quarterback for this same purpose. I’d even say since Brees is going to be in the final years of his playing career, they might want to invest their first-round draft pick with the “best player available” at quarterback when their team is on the clock.

Brees is already excited for what the future brings as in his mind, there is no doubt he’ll be back with the Saints and continue the pursuit for another championship. In an article written by Christopher Dabe for NOLA.com, here is what Brees said about his future:

"“A plan was laid out last offseason for kind of how we’re going to build this thing back to a point where we can make a run like we made a run in ’09, ’10, ’11. That’s where my mind is at, and I feel like there’s a lot of people that feel that same way.”"

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Brees has nothing but the best intentions and although had some struggles this season, still is able to keep those chains moving and score plenty of touchdowns. With a hopefully restructured contract, young quarterbacks around him he can mentor, and a positive outlook heading into the off-season, the Saints should not breakup what has been working the majority of the time with Brees under center.

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