Drew Brees returning in 2020 for 20th season has been confirmed. The New Orleans Saints quarterback and the NFL’s career passing leader will return for a 20th season after posting to Instagram on Tuesday that he will “make another run at it.” Brees, who turned 41 in January, was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent March 18, but he has made it clear for the past several years that he has no interest in testing the open market. So his only choices were staying in New Orleans or retiring. The two sides will need to work out a new contract, but that shouldn’t be contentious. The last time Brees was a free agent, in 2018, he agreed to a two-year, $50 million contract that was slightly below market value — with only one year of salary guaranteed.
View this post on InstagramMy feelings about the 2020 season! I look forward to the grind and the journey, for the reward at the end will be worth it!!! Love you #WhoDatNation. Let’s make another run at it!
The Saints will also have to decide whether they want to try to keep both of their backups: unrestricted free agent Teddy Bridgewater and restricted free agent Taysom Hill. Coach Sean Payton said in late January that he thought it would be “very difficult” and “unrealistic” to keep all three quarterbacks with the Saints slammed tight against the salary cap. That would seemingly make Bridgewater, 27, the odd man out for financial reasons — especially if another team is willing to pay him like a starter on the open market. Bridgewater went 5-0 as a starter while Brees was sidelined by a thumb injury in 2019, which should make him more attractive than he was as a free agent last year.
Hill, 29, will be easier to retain as a restricted free agent. The Saints can match any offer he might sign with another team. And depending on the size of New Orleans’ qualifying offer to Hill, teams would have to give up either a first- or second-round draft pick if the Saints don’t match the offer. With Brees returning, can the Saints finally get back to the Super Bowl? What are your thoughts about Drew Brees returning?