On the day when one longtime NFL quarterback announced he would be leaving the team he’s played two decades for, another veteran QB inked a deal that will keep him with his team for the rest of his career.
Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints came to terms on a two-year, $50 million contract on Tuesday, according to multiple reports.
For Brees, the $25 million per year is the same as the previous deal he signed with the Saints in 2018. Considering what other quarterbacks like Ryan Tannehill and Kirk Cousins just signed for, it’s an extremely team-friendly deal.
The NFL’s all-time leader in passing yards and touchdown passes, Brees, 41, was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent on Wednesday but opted to stay with New Orleans before even testing the market.
Elsewhere in the NFC South, the Carolina Panthers have reportedly given one-time franchise quarterback Cam Newton permission to seek a trade.
A former MVP, Newton suffered a Lisfranc injury in Week 2 of last season and didn’t play again.
Newton, who turns 31 in May, has been the face of the Panthers franchise since he was drafted first overall pick in the 2011 draft.
“One of the distinct pleasures of my career was selecting Cam with the first pick in the 2011 draft,” Panthers general manager Marty Hurney said in a statement. “Every year difficult decisions are made and they are never easy. We have been working with Cam and his agent to find the best fit for him moving forward and he will always be a Carolina Panther in our hearts.”
Though other teams are also interested in him, free-agent QB Teddy Bridgewater is drawing interest from the Panthers as a potential Newton replacement.
Filling in for Brees when he was injured last season, Bridgewater went 5-0.
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