NFL Free Agency: Is Drew Brees a Possibility for Miami?

The revelation that the New Orleans Saints endorsed and participated in a hush-hush bounty program has sent shock waves through the NFL.

Drew Brees was reportedly offered the richest deal in NFL history before the 2011 season, which he apparently (and inexplicably) turned down. Well, we may now have an explanation with this bounty scandal hitting the Saints at a critical time.

The reigning offensive player of the year may have dodged a bullet in eschewing a long-term deal with New Orleans; if Spygate is any indication, the Saints are going to get hammered. Can anyone honestly argue that Spygate was worse than a bounty program?

New Orleans does not have a first-round pick this year—they traded it away during last year's draft to the Patriots, ironic enough—so the NFL may be taking away several lower picks in the 2012 draft, and perhaps a high pick next year. 

Of course, the Saints may still apply the franchise tag on Drew Brees or sign him to a long-term deal anyway, which would make this pipe dream moot. 

If not, though, perhaps ManningToMiami.com should be usurped by BreesToMiami.com.

Some say the elite quarterback has gained all the leverage in a potential long-term deal, but he was already offered the biggest contract in history. How much more does Brees want, and would he be willing to make the team sacrifice elsewhere for all that cash?

Things may be getting much more interesting on the quarterback market in the coming weeks. This is highly speculative based on a fresh scandal, but it is certainly within the realm of possibility.

Thankfully, if Brees visits Miami this time around, the Dolphins do not have Nick Saban to scare Brees off. Hopefully he has a short memory when it comes to free agency.

Update: The Saints announced they would apply the franchise tag on Drew Brees on Saturday, March 3, 2012. Unless the NFL somehow strips New Orleans of their franchise tag as part of the punishment for the bounty scandal, this article is now moot.