Drew Brees Contract Dispute Shows Lack of Respect by Saints

The New Orleans Saints are a fractured franchise, a team in the midst of a scandal and punishment that is mostly unmatched in NFL history. 

That truth is why their handling of the Drew Brees contract dispute started as nothing more than business but is now spiraling down a dangerous path. A path of disrespect, coming at a time when the franchise needs a guy like Brees leading the ship through what's sure to be a stormy couple of months.

But here we sit—on April 16, the start of offseason workouts for most NFL teams—with Brees not in New Orleans. He has no such plans to change that fact, either.

According to Mike Triplett of the New Orleans Times-Picayune, Brees won't be attending anything this offseason until his contract issues are solved.

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Saints quarterback Drew Brees is not planning to come to New Orleans on Monday for the start of the team's offseason conditioning program. Although team owner Tom Benson said Friday that Brees is due in town next week, Brees, who is unsigned, is not planning to attend without a contract, according to a source close to him.

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Saints owner Tom Benson, who recently purchased the New Orleans Hornets, said last week that the two sides were close to a deal. Could that have been a smokescreen? A way to turn the tables back in the Saints' favor?

Everything we've heard over the last several weeks points to the two sides disengaging talks, not coming "close" to a deal. 

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While talking about his decision to purchase the Hornets, Benson said he spoke to Brees on Friday morning and feels like the two sides are "close" to a long-term contract extension.

So far, however, there has been no other indication from league sources that a deal is imminent. Talks have been practically non-existent in recent weeks, as both sides appear willing to let the standoff linger past the start of the offseason workout program.

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Certainly, Brees could sign the one-year franchise tender that will pay him gobs of money and get to offseason workouts. He could also sign off on a waiver to let him participate in the workouts. 

But why would he? He has revived a franchise left for dead by Hurricane Katrina, only to be led on by continued contract talks that have obviously failed to meet what he's looking for. 

Now, the Saints and Brees are looking toward a mid-May deadline—coinciding with the start of organized team activities (OTAs)—to get a deal done. Another important date to consider is July 16, the last day New Orleans has to negotiate a long-term deal with franchised players. 

My best guess is that this contract dispute is going to get a lot more messy before either side cleans it up, despite what Benson has said about a deal being close. 

Brees wants to (and really, needs to) be in camp, but he's not sacrificing what he thinks is a long-term comfort level within his contract to do so. 

The Saints want Brees (and really, need him) in camp, but they aren't willing to give the quarterback what he's looking for. 

In the end, it's the Saints organization that's looking like the disrespectful one. Pay the man his money, give him the contract security he's looking for, and get on with the (second) rebuilding of the franchise. 

Only a capable leader like Brees is going to steer this ship out of the bounty storm that has rocked New Orleans.