Saints & Drew Brees “Far Apart” In Contract Talks?

ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter reports that the Saints will not be able to reach an agreement with QB Drew Brees before the start of the season and adds that the two sides are “far apart.”

Andrew Brandt of the National Football Post writes that the Saints will most likely sell Peyton Manning‘s recent contract as being $18 million per season for five years but Brees’s representation will be arguing that the deal averages $23 million for the first three years.

Drew Brees’s importance the New Orleans Saints is unquestioned and the team knows that much. Locking up Sean Payton earlier in the week is the first step towards ensuring that they’re competitive for the years to come but the next step is re-signing Brees.

The fact that they’re “far apart” isn’t all that surprising given that they’re dealing with the troublesome precedent that is Peyton Manning’s contract. The Saints know that Brees is looking for money close to that Manning and Brady but they’re trying to come up with a number that works a little better for them and leaves them with less financial risk. At some point this deal gets done but whether that’s during the season or sometime during the offseason remains to be seen.