Drew Brees and Saints Reportedly Closer to New Contract Agreement

Despite all of the scandal and drama surrounding the Saints' upcoming 2012 season, the team and its fans got some good news on Tuesday.

According to ESPN's John Clayton, Brees and the Saints are now within $2 million per year of agreeing to a long-term contract that will keep Brees in New Orleans for years to come.

Prior to Tuesday's news, the two sides had been about $5 million per year apart, so this development hints at significant progress.

Progress, however, doesn't mean that the deal will necessarily be completed in the imminent future. Rotoworld.com reports that Clayton told ESPN: 

"

You get the feeling they'll get something done. It's just going to be weeks, a couple of days, could take them a month. But overall, they've moved closer, not in the last couple of weeks, but at least a couple of weeks ago. 

"

Clayton, speaking on Tuesday's edition of the Mike and Mike in the Morning show, said that while the Saints are offering around $19 million per year, Brees is asking for something "in the low 20s."

What It Means

The Saints get their quarterback—and one of their most important players—back for the long term, even in the midst of all of the turmoil surrounding the team's current situation. They will be without head coach Sean Payton for the 2012 season after the league uncovered a bounty program that paid players for hits on targeted opposing players.

Brees, who joined the team in 2006, led the Saints to a Super Bowl victory in 2010. In 2011, the six-time Pro Bowler garnered MVP buzz after throwing for 5,476 yards and 46 touchdowns.

What Comes Next

The two sides must actually get the deal done, which could take a while. Completing the deal as soon as possible is crucial for a Saints team that desperately needs Brees' leadership in order to move on from the drama surrounding the bounty scandal.

Clayton told ESPN that until the deal is officially inked, Brees doesn't want to show up for team workouts. He added, "There's been so many distractions for this team that you can imagine, as much of a priority as this is, trying to get these things concluded might not be the easiest thing."