One of the most prolific quarterbacks in NFL history will give it another spin.
The announcement from Drew Brees:
Earlier today, Brees announced his return to football in an Instagram post. We’re living in the future. Moreover, his use of #WhoDatNation virtually confirms Brees will be back with in New Orleans for a 15th season as the Saints starting quarterback.
Brees threw for 2,979 yards, 29 touchdowns, four interceptions, and a passer rating of 116.3 in his age 40 season. And while his team’s season ended with an upset loss at home at the hands of the Minnesota Vikings, Brees feels he has enough in the tank to take another shot at winning a second Super Bowl trophy. So they’ll run it back again in 2020.
While returning to New Orleans has an obvious impact on the Saints and what they’ll do this offseason, Brees’ announcement has wide-ranging implications beyond the Bayou. For starters, Brees’ announcement of his return to the Saints spells the certain end of Teddy Bridgewater’s time with the team. Bridgewater, 27, has spent the last two seasons as Brees’ primary backup and is set to be an unrestricted free agent. Last season, Bridgewater went 5-0 and posted a 99.3 passer rating while Brees was out with an injury. That type of production will certainly help his cause as he seeks a starting job this coming offseason.
And then there’s Taysom Hill, the Jack-of-many-trades in New Orleans, who’s a restricted free agent and could test the market in that way to see how other teams feel about his quarterbacking future. But presumably, Hill will presumably step up the depth chart to become Brees’ backup. What that would mean for him and his responsibilities as a receiver and special teams ace is undetermined, but a move to becoming Brees’ understudy feels like a logical progression.
However, Hill turns 30 this summer and is unproven as a quarterback. That he has more touches as a receiver/running back than he has pass attempts as a quarterback could give the Saints pause, even if they wanted to make him the post-Brees solution at the position. With that in mind, the Saints are a team to keep in mind when the NFL Draft rolls around in April, as they could be in the hunt for a developmental QB in the late first round who could serve as a backup before taking over when Brees officially calls it a career.
Soon enough, the rest of the quarterback market will take shape. Movement throughout the league at the sport’s most important position is coming.