Are the New Orleans Saints Cheap, or is Drew Brees Greedy?

It has been reported today by multiple sources that Drew Brees has rejected a contract offered by the Saints that pay him on average $19.25 million per year. Brees and his agent(s) want $20.5 million per year. The $19.25m would make Brees the highest paid quarterback in the NFL, being just slightly above Peyton Manning. Despite that, Brees wants that extra $1.25m per year. Brees claims that he is committed to staying with the Saints, but only if they give him a long-term contract worth at least $20.5m, refusing to sign the franchise tender. If Brees does not sign the franchise tag or receives the long term contract he wants, he will become a free agent on Monday.


So is Brees greedy, or are the Saints cheap?


It's really a little of both. Brees definitely deserves to be the highest paid QB in the NFL, but his team has been defeated by an NFC West team the last 2 years in the playoffs, thanks to Marshawn Lynch's miraculous beast mode TD run and Alex Smith playing at a Montana/Young level. He did set the single-season passing yard record last year, although many detractors point out that Brees is statistically 1000x better when he plays indoors.


Like any business, the New Orleans Saints want to get the most bang out of their buck, paying players as little as possible unless extenuating circumstances cause crucial players to refuse to play unless they get paid. Drew Brees is one of those. He is basically saying that he is willing to sit out the entire 2012 season if the Saints will not pay him. In a year when they are already being severely penalized for the bounty scandal, the last thing they need is for Drew Brees to turn into a jerk and sit out playing for a year over something as trifle as 5 million dollars, chump change for someone like him.


My verdict is that the Saints really have no idea what the fuck they're doing anymore and Brees isn't happy with it, basically just putting on a show to make the Saints seem like the bad guys. "I really want to play, but they won't let me!" Never mind the fact that they franchise tagged him, so he can't pursue free agency even if he wanted.


Update: They met halfway at $20 million per year. Whoop-dee-fucking-doo.