The New Orleans Saints have reportedly re-done quarterback Drew Brees' deal, all but ensuring that he'll remain with the franchise through at least the 2016 NFL season. Why? Because with the move - creating $2.6 million in cap space now by turning $5.2 million of Brees' base salary this season into a signing bonus, as first reported by ESPN's Field Yates - Brees' cap hit for 2016 now becomes a cool $30 million and his dead cap cost would be $10 million, per NFL.com's Ian Rapoport.
That's a lot of money, both in terms of actual hit - even with the $143.28 million salary cap for this season expected to rise again next season, $30 million represents about 20 percent of the Saints entire cap figure for 2016 - and in possible penalty should they part ways with their long-time franchise signal-caller. $10 million is an exorbitant sum to pay a player to go away, and it's unlikely that the already cash-strapped Saints would waste $10 million just to see Brees sent elsewhere.
Despite his current health issues and seeming decline over the past season or two, Brees remains far and away the Saints' best option at quarterback for the foreseeable future. Perhaps recent draft pick Garrett Grayson can develop into a starting-caliber signal-caller, but even that possibility won't become a potential reality for at least another season or two.
And really, considering Brees was already set to count $27.4 million against the cap and carry a $7.4 million dead cap figure in 2016, the final year of his deal, there was never much possibility of the team cutting ties anyway.
Instead, head coach Sean Payton - assuming he survives the current ownership turmoil facing the franchise - will roll with Brees now and next season and likely cross his fingers that Grayson, the former Colorado State Ram, can develop into a legitimate option for 2017.
