When Ed Werder revealed that sources said Drew Brees was willing to adjust his contract so that the Saints could sign free agent cornerback Josh Norman, every Saints fan collectively clenched their butt cheeks real tight in hopes that this was real. Could New Orleans potentially steal away the heart and soul of their hated divisional rival Carolina Panthers? Could the Saints go from worst secondary in the league to having the best corner in the league? Too good to be true. Less than a half hour later after that report, Norman signed with Washington and all that was left was thousands of Saints fans crying in the Purple Rain (Rest in peace The Artist!).
So why did this information get leaked? Why did Drew Brees allow it to get leaked? Even if it wasn’t Brees himself telling Ed Werder this, it was his agent or a person in his camp who most definitely does not speak without the go ahead from Drew. So why? Why even let this get out there Drew? Drew Brees knows exactly how close or far apart he and the Saints are in these contract extension negotiations. Drew Brees knows that without an adjustment to his cap hit, the Saints could never afford a marquee free agent like Norman. So why even let that leak? Either the Saints and Brees are close enough in their talks that Brees thought this was a possibility or Brees was making sure he covered his good name with the Saints fans.
Drew Brees called Norman the type of player that help a team get over that hump and into a Super Bowl. He did that in Carolina. Drew Brees knew Norman was the hottest free agent out there. If the Saints didn’t even at least attempt to work something out to score a name of Norman’s caliber, all eyes would be on Brees and his gigantic $30 million cap hit as the culprit. The Saints missed out on a huge opportunity to stick it to Carolina but Drew Brees’ greed got in the way. So Brees gives this tip to Ed Werder and boom, ass covered. Brees wanted to work out a deal, but the Saints wouldn’t act.
I don’t know who to tell you to believe. All I know is Drew Brees is saying things publicly that are making the Saints look like the bad guy. Whether intentional or not. This is not good until this deal is done. As every second on the clock ticks and the Saints and Brees have not agreed to an extension, the more likely this Thursday’s draft becomes a memorable one for New Orleans. As every day goes by without a Brees deal, the more likely this beautiful romance between Brees and the city of New Orleans turns ugly. This Brees deal needs to get done before the draft or the Paxton Lynch talk will not subside. This deal needs to get done before Brees is on HBO airing all of his and the Saints dirty laundry.