NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JANUARY 05: Drew Brees #9 of the New Orleans Saints passes during the second half against the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Wild Card Playoff game at Mercedes Benz Superdome on January 05, 2020 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
The New Orleans Saints just suffered a brutal loss in the playoffs, and now questions will start to surface about the future of quarterback Drew Brees.
The NFL playoffs can be a cruel thing, and that was certainly the case for the New Orleans Saints. Despite finishing in a three-way tie for the top spot in the NFC, the Saints had to play on Wild Card weekend, losing to the Minnesota Vikings 26-20 in overtime to end a promising year early.
That game also marks the end of Drew Brees’ current contract with the Saints. According to Spotrac, Brees’ contract will automatically void on March 18, making the veteran signal-caller a free agent.
As a condition of his current contract, Brees cannot be franchise tagged, meaning he will be a true free agent once the deal is voided. There is still plenty of time for the Saints to work out a new contract with the future Hall-of-Famer, but the fact that Brees (like Tom Brady) is set to become an unrestricted free agent is very interesting.
There would be no shortage of suitors for Brees, who is the NFL’s all-time leader in passing yards and touchdowns, as he tries to win a second championship to fully cement his legacy. One interesting landing spot could be Brees’ original team, the Los Angeles Chargers, who may move on from Philip Rivers after the season.
The Chargers are moving into their new stadium with the Los Angeles Rams next season, and the return of Brees could bring some major juice to the franchise as it looks to establish roots in the Los Angeles market. It would sure be strange to see Brees finish his career anywhere but New Orleans, but the way his deal is structured opens up the possibility that Brees’ final act takes place away from the Superdome.