Brees signs franchise contract

[jjdub]

From Chargers press release:

Drew Brees signed a one-year contract with the Chargers today.

Brees, an unrestricted free agent, was designated as the team’s franchise player on February 17. He was designated as a “non-exclusive” franchise player, meaning that he will receive a salary that is the average of the top five salaried quarterbacks from the 2004 season.

Brees was selected to the Pro Bowl and named the Associated Press’ 2004 Comeback Player of the Year after leading the Chargers to their first AFC West title since 1994. He completed 262 of 400 passes (.655) for 3,159 yards with 27 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

[Mercer Boy]

Sure, why not if they can spare the cash? I suppose it still stinks that they have a top draft pick QB (with a huge contract also) sitting on the bench, but a lot of good QB's sat for a while behind other guys and made out all right (Young ) .

I think it would have been a very bad move to break up the offensive chemistry of a team that came out of the doldrums like the Chargers did last year.

I wonder if the Chargers would try to trade Rivers off to another team looking for a QB in exchange for a top and a bottom draft choice this year?

[joshyboy72]

I think it was a pretty good move. They had the money, and it gives them back their great offense of the previous season. Plus it'll give Rivers more time to learn on the sidelines...plus more time for the Chargers to decide what they want to do with him. A move more for the present than the future...but Drew Brees is only 26 years old...another big season from him and Philip Rivers will be out of there.

[Dr. Duran Duran]

It's the best move they could have made. Say Brees is the real deal and they let him go. Charger fans would never forgive the team for the debacle. It's the only move that really made sense, at least from a P.R. standpoint.

[portisfan24]

If anyone predicted last year that Drew Brees would be the Chargers franchise player for 2005, they would have been mocked mercilessly. Quite the comeback by him, and now he gets a very large salary. Think about it, he gets the average of Manning, Culpepper, Vick, McNabb and ...maybe Favre? But still, thats a lot of money.

[deluxe_247]

i like this move a lot. they couldnt let him go after last years performance. i personally think they should cut bait with rivers and try to get something out of him.

[maddog60]

This move is the best they could've done, and quite good at that. Think about it, what's the worst that could happen if they went with Rivers? Well, he bombs, becomes forever known as Ryan Leaf 2.0, and people in management start losing jobs over the decision. What's the best that could happen with Rivers? He plays like Drew Brees did.

I think if Brees proves not to be a fluke, the Packers might be all too happy to give up a first rounder to get a legitamite young franchise QB.

[Manja]

What about two first rounders, though? He is a non-exclusive, I believe. So isn't that two?

[GB Packer Fan 2004]

I like the Move Brees was great last year and there was no way they could let him go and rely on the in-experinenced Rivers

[goleafsgo96]

What about two first rounders, though? He is a non-exclusive, I believe. So isn't that two?

Yes its 2 first round picks for Brees... and no one will offer that, so im extremely happy with all this.