Drew Brees remains the leader the New Orleans Saints always needed

With only one Super Bowl win to his name, Drew Brees remains an underrated leader in the NFL but can he take the New Orleans Saints back to the top?

The New Orleans Saints have had an interesting offseason. One aspect that no one seems to be talking about is that Drew Brees was a free agent. It might have only been for a very short time, but Brees could have gone elsewhere.

As Saints fans, we all knew that Brees would more than likely stay but there was always a chance.

Thankfully, the Saints re-signed him to a two-year deal, securing him through the 2020 season. With a lot of hype going into 2019, it was smart. Even though money was a big factor, Brees wasn’t someone the Saints were willing to lose. Despite the team coming up short the past two seasons, they still have faith in the team and in Brees.

Drew Brees is among one of the most dedicated leaders in the league. Some cite the intensity of Tom Brady or the abilities of J.J. Watt, but Brees is on another level. As a leader, he’s carried the team on his back for years. Many of us remember when he was the only bright spot the team had. Thankfully, the Saints have gotten past that for now but that didn’t impact Brees in the slightest.

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His role with the team has shifted in the past two years. Previously, we watched as he guided the team with his arm, making those key throws and plays when necessary. While he’s still doing that, the team’s scheme has shifted to include more running plays. If anything, this has helped Brees to become a better leader. He’s been able to step back and take a breath rather than scramble to make the next play.

Last season, Brees did decline slightly but it didn’t bring down the team. If anything, the team rallied around him. It was amazing to see that considering that some would have benched him or categorized him as over-the-hill. As a quarterback, your role is judged harshest but those few mistakes didn’t seem to bother Brees who used it as motivation.

On the field, Brees is everything a good leader should be. He’s graceful, confident and isn’t afraid to take chances. He’ll make that risky throw or scramble those few extra yards to help the team reach their goal. Brees does a great job of prioritizing a win over doing what’s easy and it’s part of the reason why he’s held in such high regard in the league.

The other reason Brees is hailed as a leader is because of his work off the field. Since moving to New Orleans, Brees has worked to better the community. Most notably, he helped in the effort to restore the city after Hurricane Katrina. Recently, he gave $250,000 to help build a school and has previously donated to many charitable organizations.

Even some of his new teammates are heaping praise on Brees. Both Jared Cook and Latavius Murray have commented on how great of a leader Brees is. Jared Cook put it best when he said, per WGNO:

"“He’s our leader on offense. He’s the voice of the offense and he’s the guy that commands attention.”"

Having Brees at the helm is exactly the push the team needs to finally make it back to the Super Bowl. It’s not an easy road, but having Brees there takes off a lot of pressure. We can only hope that Brees finally wins an MVP and gets to hold up the Lombardi Trophy in 2019.