Brees Gets Franchise Tag

[Chisox73]

San Diego Chargers QB Drew Brees was given the "franchise" tag by the team after his breakout season in which he led the Chargers to thier first division title in 9 years.

Brees will be allowed to talk with other NFL teams,but any team that signs him to an offer sheet will have to compensate the Chargers with 2 first-round draft picks,if the Chrgers decline to match the offer.Brees will likely make around $8 million next season.He made $2.06 million last year.

Brees completed 262 of 400 passes for 3,159 yards and 27 TDs for the Chargers last season.His QB rating was 104.8 in 2004.

[Durango53]

Kind of funny I feel. No team would give up two first rounders for him and they could do a sign and trade but the NFL just doesnt trade that much. And then for the Chargers to have a ton of money wrapped up in there QB's just isnt the smart move in the NFL today. :notme:

[rockin500]

shad, normally i would agree with you but two major things: the chargers were ridicilously under the cap before this move, and will still be 10 million under the cap after this move. Its good for one year. major thing #2, the cap is going to be raised to nearly 100 million this year with the new television contracts.

[Durango53]

You have two QB's. Two young QB's one who you staked your future on and the other who might not be better than he his right now. If one guy was old then I would agree with you. But with two young guys I think it would hurt the team with both guys thinking they should start. Just being below the cap I dont think is the reason they keep a guy. I dont think they keep both...

[imgreat95]

The CHargers dont know what they have with Rivers. They are bringing Brees back to protect themselves against another Ryan Leaf fiasco. They have to do it.

I read reports yesterday, though, that they may actually be looking at trading Rivers right now.

[Durango53]

I can see them trying to trade Rivers away. I am just saying I dont see them keeping both just because they are both young guys that think they should be starting....

[imgreat95]

I think that they want to keep Brees around for one more year to see if he is the real deal. If he is, then you trade Rivers while his value is still relatively high. If he isn't, you let him walk away after one year, and hand the job to Rivers. Really, I think it is a no lose situation and sort of necessary. If you take a division winner and let the QB walk away and hand the ball to a guy who has thrown less than 10 passes in he NFL, you are asking for disaster. Franchising Brees was the only way that they could nearly guarantee that he would be back next season. They just needed to do it in order to buy themselves some time. When you are as far under the cap as they are, I think it makes pretty good sense.