Drew Brees Contract: Star QB Deserves Every Penny of Rumored Deal

Despite an offseason of haggling and contract negotiations, very few people believe that the New Orleans Saints and Drew Brees won't eventually get a deal done.

And Mike Triplett of the The Times-Picayune not only believes the deal will be done, but Brees will ultimately be paid the highest contract in NFL history.

And I believe he's worth every penny. Here's what Triplett had to say on the matter:

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The two sides will probably keep haggling over the details right up until the July 16 deadline. But it will be stunning if Brees doesn't ultimately sign a contract worth somewhere between $19.2 million and $20 million per year, making him the highest-paid player in NFL history.

Only an absurd amount of stubbornness could get in the way now.

The Saints have already offered Brees the richest contract in league history, surpassing the $19.2 million per year that the Denver Broncos gave quarterback Peyton Manning earlier this year, though it's not clear exactly how the offer was structured.

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As Triplett notes, Brees and agent Tom Condon will continue to dicker in hopes of getting that figure closer to $20 million per year, earn him more guaranteed money, etc. They'll do their due diligence to sweeten the pot for Brees.

And why shouldn't they?

Brees helped change the culture of the franchise, and he did so on the heels of Hurricane Katrina, when the city was still in tatters. He not only has become one of the NFL's top-three quarterbacks during his stay in New Orleans, but he's also been an amazing ambassador for the Saints, giving back to the community and becoming a true New Orleans citizen.

Plus, Brees has been underpaid up until this point in his career. He deserves to make the most money in the NFL. In his eyes, the Saints aren't just paying him as one of the best quarterbacks in the league, but they are also paying for the years of top play they received in exchange for less-than-top money.

You can't blame Brees for trying to recoup some of that dough.

Finally, what would the Saints be this year without a happy Brees? The team already has enough issues to deal with after the fallout from Bounty Gate—can they really afford to slap the franchise tag on Brees and risk a scorned quarterback?

Don't they need him to be the glue that holds this season together?

Of course they do. He's the most important player in Saints history. It's time the team finally recognizes that, monetarily.

I expect it to happen. Brees and the Saints are a great fit, after all. It's rare that I would say a player deserves every penny of $19.2-20 million per year, but in Brees' case, I think it is warranted.

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