Drew Brees May Still Have Leverage Even After The Franchise Tag Deadline

As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk points out, Drew Brees‘ leverage in regards to negotiating a long-term contract with the Saints will not be lost even after the July 16 deadline.

The fact that an arbitrator ruled in favor in Brees regarding the number of seasons that he’s been franchised, leaves the Saints in a tough situation following the 2012 season, since applying another tag to the franchise quarterback would require 140 percent of the total for quarterbacks.

Florio writes that Brees could actually demand more money for the 2012 season and possibly even a clause that would prevent New Orleans from applying another tag to him next year.

While this is certainly a possibility, it seems likely that the two sides will be able to come to some sort of agreement before next Mondays’ deadline.