Drew Brees slapped with franchise tag

[COBronc78]

https://twitter.com/#!/jayglazer

On the news side, was just told the Saints have placed the franchise tag on QB Drew Brees.

[Thors Hammer]

So the Saints will lose Carl Nicks and/or Marques Colston. I'm sensing a downward turn for one of the NFL's better teams over the last few years.

[samparnell]

Is the franchise tag hard with sharp edges? Does it hurt when you get slapped with it?

[COBronc78]

Is the franchise tag hard with sharp edges? Does it hurt when you get slapped with it?

I would say it's a slap in the face.

[broncoFan!]

Is the franchise tag hard with sharp edges? Does it hurt when you get slapped with it?

It kind of feels like a sandwich. Also, I like Brancos! :thumb:

[jcdavey]

i wonder if part of the saints punishment next week will be having the franchise tag stripped lol

[#Broncosfan]

i wonder if part of the saints punishment next week will be having the franchise tag stripped lol

I highly doubt it. I think it would potentially ruin the Saints for years to come if it resulted in losing Brees. I doubt that is what Goodell wants. I would expect them to possibly lose their 1st round pick this year, hefty fines and some people might lose jobs.

[JayJack]

I highly doubt it. I think it would potentially ruin the Saints for years to come if it resulted in losing Brees. I doubt that is what Goodell wants. I would expect them to possibly lose their 1st round pick this year, hefty fines and some people might lose jobs.

The Saints don't have a 1st this year. They traded it to get Ingram. But the league might take away their 2013 1st rd pick.

[broncolee]

It'll be interesting to see if there are any casualties of this decision.

I wonder if the Saints and other teams are in this position because they didn't prepare when everyone knew that the old CBA was going to be vacated.

[#Broncosfan]

Can't link article, but latest news is, Brees is livid and does not want to sign franchise tag. I wonder how bounty gate will affect his decision if at all.

[JayJack]

Can't link article, but latest news is, Brees is livid and does not want to sign franchise tag. I wonder how bounty gate will affect his decision if at all.

WIST-AM New Orleans reports Drew Brees is "livid" about being franchise tagged, and will not sign his tender.
WIST-AM is not typically in the business of breaking major Saints news, but this is certainly plausible. The Saints and Brees have fruitlessly worked toward an extension for nearly two years, and have made surprisingly little progress since talks got serious in August. The sides now have until July 16 to work out a long-term contract. If a deal has not been reached by then, it's entirely possible Brees will refuse to sign his tender and threaten to miss parts of training camp. It's been a rough week for the Saints.

Source: WIST-AM New Orleans Mar 6 - 8:32 AM

[destrukt]

Saints will be fine so long as they can keep Drew Brees in black & gold. Without him get ready to see some brown paper bags next season.

[dsmith275]

Brees is "livid" about the franchise tag. Well if we can't get Manning let's go for Brees (Kidding, unless of course he does become available lol ). In all seriousness, I can't see how New Orleans does not lock up Brees for years to come he is one of the best in the leauge. Tough week for the Saints.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/report-drew-brees-livid-franchise-tag-011643713.html

Drew Brees was hit with the franchise tag by the New Orleans Saints on Saturday, despite having made it clear that that's not what he wanted. So what happens now? Well, according to CBSSports.com's Rapid Reports, Brees gets really mad.


Drew Brees is "livid" about being franchise tagged and not receiving a long-term contract, according to WIST-AM in New Orleans. The radio station cites sources in the Brees camp that he will not sign the franchise tag deal. Brees and the Saints have until July 15 to hammer out a long-term deal.

My two immediate reactions:

1) Of course he's livid.

2) He'll get over it.

The franchise tag means that Brees will remain a Saint for one year at a pre-determined salary number. In bad news for Brees, the number is calculated differently now than it has been in years past. Last year, a quarterback with the franchise tag made the average of the top five highest-paid players at his position -- in 2011, it was over $16 million. This year, with the new calculations, it's $14.4 million.

I do believe that it's a ridiculous thing for the Saints to do, and I don't understand why they're antagonizing Drew Brees, who is pretty much the franchise savior. But it's also way too early to accuse the Saints of having made any kind of major mistake, either. Only about a million times in NFL history has a player said he was offended by a contract offer and then gone on to sign a long-term deal with the same team that insulted him so harshly.

[ Related: Silver: Expect NFL to come down hard on Saints for bounties ]

The Saints still have until July 15 to make that happen. That's plenty of time for wounds to heal, people to calm down and to get a deal worked out.

I just can't picture the Saints ‒ even with as poorly as they've handled this so far ‒ doing something as insane as letting Brees go. There are currently, what, two other guys that can do for a team what Brees can do for a team? He is, by any definition of the word, elite. He can make a bad team a good team. Guys like that should, and usually do, get the gigantic paychecks.

But let's not ignore pessimism completely. If Brees wants, he can refuse to sign the franchise tag offer, and hold out. Maybe the Saints never wake up, and maybe that happens, and they get a taste of life with Chase Daniel as the starting quarterback. (Note to Saints fans: If you enjoyed 1984 through 2005, you'll love Chase Daniel.) Or maybe no long-term deal can be worked out, and Brees plays one season under the franchise tag and then walks.

So things aren't great at the moment, but it's a little early to declare this a disaster, either. I just have a hard time believing that the Saints would screw up a decision that seems like it should be so easy.