Saints quarterback Drew Brees has already made it clear that he’s staying in New Orleans, even though he’s set to become a free agent next week.
Because Brees is intent on sticking with the Saints, he’s willing to settle for a below-market contract with the team, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. That might mean something like $25 million for this year, which is less than he’d make if he shopped himself to the highest bidder.
Although players have every right to negotiate for every dollar they can get, some players are willing to give their teams a break, especially if they think their teams will use the salary cap space to build a winning team around them. Brees is likely at least as motivated by the desire to win another Super Bowl as he is by money.
The Saints are near the bottom of the NFL in available cap space for 2020, and Brees is doing them a favor.
