New Orleans Saints

Although Teddy Bridgewater should have a "strong market" in free agency, the quarterback still has a chance to return to the New Orleans Saints next season, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.

Per Fowler, the two sides remain in contact and a return is "not off the table."

Bridgewater has spent the past two seasons with the Saints backing up Drew Brees, but he impressed last season when Brees suffered a thumb injury. The 27-year-old finished with nine touchdown passes and just two interceptions while producing a 99.1 quarterback rating.

New Orleans also won all five games started by the 2014 first-round pick last season.

While the Saints clearly like him, there isn't a path to playing time with Brees announcing he will return to the team next season. 

Taysom Hill also still looms as a potential quarterback of the future in New Orleans despite being used as more of a gadget player to this point.

Head coach Sean Payton admitted in January that it's "unrealistic" for the team to re-sign all three free-agent quarterbacks, per Mike Triplett of ESPN.

Bridgewater also has options outside of the Saints.

Fowler reported in February the veteran could make $30 million per year on the open market (via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk).

Peter King of Football Morning in America reported Monday the Tampa Bay Buccaneers could be an option for Bridgewater, potentially replacing Jameis Winston as the starter.

Other teams could also be looking for a starting quarterback depending on the decisions of Tom Brady, Philip Rivers and others.

Even if Bridgewater likes the Saints, it could be tough to compete with the alternatives in free agency.

Drew Brees' contract negotiations could be the least frustrating any marquee quarterback has to go through this offseason.

Brees has already stated his intention to remain with the New Orleans Saints, and he may not demand more money, as other players at his position are doing.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport provided some insight into the situation involving Brees and the Saints on Thursday:

"When Drew Brees announced he was coming back this coming year, he did so by adding 'Who Dat' on his Instagram and saying he's only going to sign with the Saints. He took away all leverage from himself. He is very clear that when he plays next year it's going to be for the Saints. 

"No contract is done and none are going to be done until whether we know the CBA is passed. From my understanding, for this contract, Brees is not expected to demand top dollar. I would expect, again nothing is done, but I would expect the contract more in line with what he made last year, which was a two-year deal and an average of $25 million. That's probably where the deal is going to come in, which actually is probably going to allow the Saints to sign one more free agent, maybe, than they would be able to do."

Brees had a salary cap hit of $24 million in 2018 and $22.7 million in 2019, according to Spotrac. If he does not demand a significant raise, Brees would not be in the upper tier of the highest-paid quarterbacks, but it could allow the Saints to become an even better team.

The 2019 campaign showed that the Saints do not have a ton of offensive flaws, with Alvin Kamara and Michael Thomas leading the depth chart at running back and wide receiver, respectively. But it would not hurt the Saints to pick up another reliable wide out to partner Thomas. Ted Ginn Jr. was the second-best receiver for them in 2019, but he had the fourth-most receiving yards.

In fact, Thomas and Ginn were the only two wide receivers to have more than 400 receiving yards last season.

If Brees wants to ease up the reliance on Kamara in the passing game, he needs one or two more targets to call upon. Those additions could be made at a cheaper cost in the NFL draft, especially with the wide receiver class being one of the best in recent memory.

The Saints could also go out into the free-agent market for reinforcements, and that would be made possible by Brees not asking for a significant pay increase.

If the veteran signal-caller does not take a large raise, the players brought in with the money left on the table could help him to make one final push toward a championship.

New Orleans won the Super Bowl in 2010, but since then, it has reached the NFC Championship Game once. If the new players brought into the franchise excel, it could give Brees and the Saints an advantage against their competition, such as the San Francisco 49ers, to make it back to the Super Bowl.

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90. Statistics obtained from Pro Football Reference.

The New Orleans Saints are hoping Drew Brees signs a new contract with the franchise before the start of the new league year in order to avoid a dead cap charge from the contract restructuring he signed last offseason.

Mike Triplett of ESPN wrote "no reason" Brees and the Saints won't come to terms on a new deal by March 18. The Saints would be subject to a $21.3 million charge on their cap if the two sides cannot come to a new deal before the league year begins, similar to Tom Brady's situation in New England.

Unlike Brady, Brees is not planning to consider any suitors on the free-agent market. He announced his plan to return for the 2020 season last month and has consistently said he will either play for the Saints or retire.

"My 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!" Brees wrote in his Instagram post.

It's likely the Saints and Brees will agree on a "long-term" contract for cap purposes, similar to his restructure last year. Tacking on voidable years to what would realistically amount to a one-year contract would allow the Saints to keep Brees' cap hold lower in 2020 and thus make them more likely to add or retain pieces for a Super Bowl run next season.

Brees threw for 2,979 yards and 27 touchdowns against four interceptions last season while being limited to 11 games because of injury. Teddy Bridgewater replaced Brees during his absence and is expected to leave New Orleans this offseason via free agency.

Brees struggled during New Orleans' Wild Card Round loss to the Minnesota Vikings, with Taysom Hill seemingly being the best player on both sides of the ball for the Saints. Hill is a restricted free agent this month, but the Saints are expected to push to retain him. Perhaps Hill can be a buffer to keep Brees healthy and the Saints offense explosive in 2020.

Taysom Hill isn't going anywhere.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the New Orleans Saints are placing a first-round tender on Hill, meaning they can match any offer made to him in restricted free agency and would receive a first-round pick if they let him sign elsewhere.

He also noted that the Saints "plan to re-sign him soon anyway."

Schefter added that Hill's first-round tender "is expected to come in around $5 million for 2020. But the Saints believe they'll have a deal done with [Hill] before free agency, when another team can sign him to an offer sheet."

The Saints appear to believe Hill, 29, is the eventual successor to 41-year-old franchise legend Drew Brees. Head coach Sean Payton said over the summer that he believed Hill could become the next Steve Young, per Mike Triplett of ESPN:

"Well, if you look back at Steve's career, and people don't remember his time before he came into the NFL, you had a very athletic player that I think advanced when he got to San Francisco. And he always had great ability with his legs.

"So you're trying to create visions for players. [...] And I think that that's the business we're in. ... That was something that as you began to watch [Hill's] skill set, you're just trying to think of players that were similar at an early stage in their career."

But while Hill has done a little bit of everything for the Saints, the one thing he hasn't done with much regularity is throw the football. He's attempted just 13 regular-season passes during his NFL career, completing six of them for 119 yards and an interception. And when Brees went down with a thumb injury this past year, it was Teddy Bridgewater whom the Saints turned to as the backup quarterback. 

It's possible, of course, that New Orleans is trying to dissuade teams from signing Hill to an offer sheet that would jack up his overall value, seeing as they reportedly are keen to re-sign him. It's hard to imagine another franchise would give up a first-round pick to sign a player with 13 career passes under his belt. 

And Hill has added value in New Orleans, where he would not only be the backup quarterback but also an offensive and special teams weapon. Combine that impact with the potential belief that he has the upside to be a franchise signal-caller in the coming years, and the Saints' desire to keep Hill makes more sense, even at an inflated cost. 

Dez Bryant hasn't played a down of football in either of the last two seasons. 

That doesn't stop him from thinking he can be a major contributor as he embarks on a comeback attempt.

"I'm excited, I miss the game. I did get injured, but I'm not even worrying about that," Bryant told BlackSportsOnline. "It was just more so [mental] than anywhere and I got that in check. I'm just ready to go put on a show."

Bryant, 31, spent his first eight seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, making three Pro Bowls. The Cowboys released him in April 2018, and he remained a free agent until signing with the Saints that November, tearing his Achilles just two days after inking the one-year contract.

Bryant remained out of football last season, training and rehabbing his Achilles.

It seems likely that a team will sign Bryant this offseason. While he's clearly not a star-level talent at this point in his career, Bryant still put up 69 receptions for 838 yards and six touchdowns in 2017. His absence for most of the 2018 season was more of a personal choice after the free-agent market failed to yield a contract up to his expectations.

Teams looking to buy low should and will take a long look at Bryant.   

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees said Thursday he plans to remain with the organization even though he's set to become an unrestricted free agent March 18.

"Listen, I have no intention of going anywhere," Brees said on WEEI's The Greg Hill Show. "I don't care what the offer would be or what the situation might be, I am Who Dat Nation for life."

Although Brees is technically scheduled to hit the open market in less than two weeks, his comments are the latest sign there's minimal concern from either side about making sure he stays in New Orleans.

In January, Saints general manager Mickey Loomis said, "we'd love to have Drew back, and if he wants to be back then we'll go from there."

"It's easy to take him for granted, yet I don't take him for granted," Loomis told reporters. "I don't view it any different than I did a year ago, or a year before that, or a year before that—regardless of whether he has a contract or not. Yeah, he's a great player, he's been a great player, he continues to be a great player."

The Saints are in a unique situation because along with Brees, backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater will also hit the open market when the new league year begins later this month, and trick-play artist/third-string QB Taysom Hill will be a restricted free agent.

Hill explained he's going to keep his options open because he still views himself as a franchise quarterback:

So without any signal-callers under contract for next season, the franchise could face a crisis if Brees were to leave. It doesn't sound like he views that as a serious option at this stage, though.

The two-time NFL Offensive Player of the Year is coming off another terrific season. He completed a league-leading 74.3 percent of his throws for 2,979 yards with 27 touchdowns and four interceptions across 11 appearances. He ranked third in ESPN's Total QBR.

Assuming Brees does re-sign with the Saints, they'll once again be among the chief Super Bowl contenders in the NFC heading into the 2020 campaign.

The New Orleans Saints are reportedly expected to target linebacker Jamie Collins when free agency opens later this month.

Larry Holder of The Athletic reported the Saints' interest in Collins, who returned to the New England Patriots in 2019 after two-plus years in Cleveland. Collins recorded 81 tackles and a career-high seven sacks, along with three interceptions in a solid all-around season.

New England head coach Bill Belichick discussed Collins' game in October, per Henry McKenna of Patriots Wire:

"He's always been a smart football player. I think he's more aware and just more experienced than he was when he was here before. He's done a really good job for us. We've asked him to fill multiple positions defensively. He’s done that. He did that before, but he’s expanded that a little bit. His experience allows him to communicate with more confidence. Calls, adjustments, things like that, alerts that he picks up."

The 30-year-old is among a number of potential players who could be leaving New England this offseason. While Tom Brady has been the main focus in headlines, he's joined by Collins, Devin McCourty and Kyle Van Noy. It's likely at least some of that foursome returns, but it's fair to say the Patriots are in a state of uncertainty unlike anything we've seen during their historic run of prominence.

The Saints could target Collins as a replacement for Kiko Alonso, who may wind up on the cut line due to his $8.7 million cap charge in 2020. 

Collins' signing would help fortify a Saints defense that remained solid during a 13-3 run last season. The unit ranked fifth against the run in DVOA but was 13th against the pass, per Football Outsiders. Collins' ability to quarterback a defense may help them improve in that regard. 

The legal tampering period begins March 16, with free agency officially opening two days later.

New Orleans Saints star Michael Thomas didn't let his five-year, $96.2 million contract extension last July blunt his motivation on the field.

"When I signed my deal, I went right to work," Thomas said in an interview with SiriusXM NFL Radio. "I was a man on a mission, and I am still a man on a mission."

Rather than growing comfortable with his long-term financial security and taking a step backward, Thomas, who turned 27 on Tuesday, enjoyed a record-setting 2019 campaign.

His 149 receptions eclipsed Marvin Harrison's previous single-season mark of 143, and his 1,725 receiving yards were the seventh-most over a single season.

Thomas' production didn't suffer much when Teddy Bridgewater replaced an injured Drew Brees for five games as the starting quarterback. He had 42 receptions for 55 yards and three touchdowns over that stretch.

In general, the Saints had little reason to think giving Thomas a market-level extension carried any more risk than a typical NFL contract.

Since the team selected him in the second round of the 2016 draft, the former Ohio State star has been one of the league's most consistent pass-catchers. He's first in receptions (470), second in receiving yards (5,512) and tied for fifth in touchdowns (32).

Especially with Brees back for at least one more year, Thomas shouldn't start slowing down in 2020.

The market for free-agent quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is "warming up," according to the latest rumors Pro Football Talk's Peter King heard from combine week.

The 27-year-old produced solid play in the 2019 campaign in relief of New Orleans Saints starter Drew Brees and could be a useful option for a number of teams. 

The reported interest is good news for Bridgewater given what else King heard during the week. Things are not looking up for some of the veteran quarterbacks available:

"From an agent with vet quarterbacks in the mix, when I said I had no idea how this QB game of musical chairs will end up: 'The problem is, there's way more quarterbacks than chairs.' I can see that.

"My prediction: Five quarterbacks will be immensely pissed off a month from today, with a depressed market value for their services. Or no market value."

Bridgewater appeared in nine games during the 2019 season and completed a respectable 67.9 percent of his passes, throwing for 1,384 yards with nine touchdowns and two interceptions.

He did a fine job as the starter while Brees recovered from a thumb injury, holding down the fort and going 5-0 until the latter's return in Week 8. New Orleans made the playoffs and lost to the Vikings, Bridgewater's old team, in the NFC Wild Card Game.

With his value rebuilt after a great stint in New Orleans, Bridgewater appears in line to land a starting position for the 2020 season. It's been a long road back since his devastating knee injury in 2016, but at the age of 27, he still presents tremendous upside now that he's back to his best.

With plenty of other options available, ESPN's Mike Triplett doesn't think a starting spot is guaranteed:

Jameis Winston, Tom Brady, Philip Rivers, Andy Dalton and Cam Newton are some of the other high-profile players who are part of the game of musical chairs mentioned by King.

New Orleans Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan suited up for the final five games of the 2019 season with an adductor muscle that tore off the bone, per Michael Silver of NFL Network.

Silver said that the injury occurred during the Saints' Dec. 8 loss to the San Francisco 49ers.

Jordan had surgery Feb. 4 and should be "fully recovered" before the team's training camp begins in July, per Silver.

The 30-year-old has been one of the best and most consistent defensive players for the Saints since he was drafted by the team 24th overall in 2011. He has recorded at least 7.5 sacks in eight straight seasons.

In 2018, Jordan's 12 sacks were four more than any other player on New Orleans defense. He was up to his usual tricks in 2019 with 25 quarterback hits and a career-high 15.5 sacks to help the 13-3 Saints win the NFC South.