Drew Brees, Saints Restructure Contract: Latest Details, Comments, Reaction

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees' current health and long-term future with the team may be in question, but that didn't stop the organization from restructuring the future Hall of Famer's contract Wednesday.  

According to ESPN.com's Field Yates, the Saints converted $5.2 million of the 36-year-old veteran's base salary into a signing bonus, which creates $2.6 million in salary-cap space and raises his cap hit to $30 million for the 2016 campaign.

As pointed out by Katherine Terrell of the Times-Picayune, it is a move that will give the Saints less room to make moves next season:

Per Joel A. Erickson of the Advocate, head coach Sean Payton explained the reasoning behind restructuring Brees' contract now:

The likeliest explanation for the decision is that New Orleans is looking to make some additions, via a signing or a trade, in order to turn around its 0-3 start and save its season.

That may be a tall order considering Brees' health, as the nine-time Pro Bowler sat out the Saints' Week 3 loss to the Carolina Panthers with what has been called a bruised rotator cuff.

Per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, however, the so-called bruise may actually be a sprain. With that in mind, there is a good chance he won't be able to play against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 4, according to Rapoport.

Brees is one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time as a former Super Bowl champion who ranks fourth on the career passing yards list and fifth in passing touchdowns. As he takes part in his 15th NFL season, though, he may be starting to fade.

Sunday's game was his first missed due to injury with the Saints, and he didn't exactly light it up in the season's first two games with two touchdowns, two interceptions and a pedestrian (for him) quarterback rating of 82.0.

ESPN's Mike Greenberg is among those who believe the former Purdue standout may finally be nearing the end of the line:

Brees' contract expires following the 2016 season, and according to Bleacher Report's Jason Cole, the Saints aren't interested in signing him to a long-term contract when that time comes:

It seems unlikely that the Saints will part ways with Brees before his contract expires, though, as it would cost the team $10 million to cut him, per Rapoport.

New Orleans is very much in win-now mode with Brees getting up there in age, and its handling of his contract certainly seems to speak to that.

It may already be too late for the Saints to be a factor this season since the Panthers and the Atlanta Falcons are 3-0 in the NFC South, but sitting idly by would be an admission of defeat.

New Orleans needs help on both sides of the ball, and it is now incumbent upon general manager Mickey Loomis to make the $2.6 million saved through restructuring count.

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