Could the Arizona Cardinals Steal Drew Brees...

The New Orleans Saints wouldn't dare trade away Drew Brees. It won't happen. Then again they said the same thing about Peyton Manning, Brett Favre and Joe Montana. Would the Arizona Cardinals sell the farm to get the quarterback they need?

Great quarterback controversies are born through two capable players who can both win. The great ones were Craig Morton and Roger Staubach or Steve Young against Joe Montana. Fans down in the desert claim they have one going on too but in truth neither Kevin Kolb nor John Skelton are proven. Both quarterbacks have never played in a playoff game or even posted a winning record. Kolb has the big contract and the big upside. Skelton helped Arizona recover from an early slump to finish strong at 8-8 last season. Most experts think the Cardinals have a good enough team to win, but aren't sure about the quarterbacks. That's why head coach Ken Whisenhunt declared the starting job wide open for either player. Whoever plays the best in training camp and the preseason gets to pilot one of the most underrated offenses in the NFL. Larry Fitzgerald now has highly-regarded first round pick Michael Floyd across from him. Paired with Beanie Wells at running back and the Arizona Cardinals should have high expectations, but they don't. That is why the quarterback is the most important roster spot. It makes all the difference and unless Kolb or Skelton show something they haven't yet, fans in Phoenix will keep waiting. Is there anything the team can do?

That is what makes things down in Louisiana unusual. Nobody thought the San Diego Chargers would let go of Drew Brees in 2005. They did and he went to the New Orleans Saints and won a Super Bowl. Now the arguably best quarterback in football is at odds with his second team. As the famed Bounty Scandal has gutted the Saints defense and head coaching staff, the pressure has increased on the front office to get Brees signed. Experts and fans agree he is the only hope to rescue the 2012 NFL season from disaster. That could explain why he's not being too hasty in signing a new contract. After a Super Bowl title and two 5,000-yard seasons he feels he deserves top dollar. New Orleans hasn't shown they are willing to give it to him. While both sides have until July 16 to reach an agreement, it also leaves something open no one would ever consider. It lets other teams plead their case for him to join their squad. Arizona is one such team. The Cardinals boast a stable coaching staff, a resurgent defense and one of the best receivers in football. Knowing the cliff New Orleans could fall off in the near future, Brees may have to consider an escape.

Given his show of loyalty to the city, the likelihood of Drew Brees leaving the New Orleans Saints is slim to none. Still talent-filled teams like the Arizona Cardinals who stand a quarterback away from a title always have a shot. Kevin Kolb or John Skelton could pan out, but they're not sure NFL ballers like Mr. Brees.

Comments: 3

James Honley Jul 2, 2012, 6:50pm UTC

Just how has the 'bounty' scandal gutted the Saints defense?

Will Smith is suspended 4 games; not that big a loss. Played without him for first games of 2010 because of StarCaps mess.
Jonathan Vilma; been injuried last couple years. Curtis Lofton will probably take Vilma's starting position from him.
Defensive coaches; Gregg Williams was gone before the dust settled on the Saints-40-whiners game. Saints hired Steve Spagnuolo?, arguably the best defensive-minded coach in football.
The chances of Brees leaving the Saints would rank 2nd behind death by meteorite!!

Erik Lambert Jul 2, 2012, 7:59pm UTC

I speak from the fact that New Orleans didn't have the best defense to start with. They ranked 30th against the pass and 29th against the run. Now you lose two key veterans on that unit and no amount of scheme change by Spanuolo can mask that. Never mind that Sean Payton is gone and you saw what happened to Brees whenever Payton wasn't calling plays.

And if a few people in history have been killed by meteors, there's always a chance.

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James Honley Jul 2, 2012, 9:10pm UTC

The Saints have offered Brees three (3) contracts that would make him the highest paid QB in the league and Brees has refused them all for whatever reason.

Smith and Vilma were both part of the reason the Saints defense ranked so low last year; so I hardly consider losing them as 'gutting'. Smith had 6.5 sacks last year and Vilma had zero.

The Saints have signed three veteran LBs which will solidify that position. And you saw the havoc the Spanuolo-coached Rams inflicted on the Saints, and the Saints have arguably the best offensive line in football.

And you are forgetting that Payton never quit calling plays when he was injuried; he simply relayed thru OC Pete Carmichael.

I agree that losing Payton will be a bitter pill for the Saints to swallow and without a doubt it will have negative impact on the Saints.

If Loomis traded Brees it would be the WORST move ever made any professional sports team. What possible benefit could the Saints get in return?

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Could the Arizona Cardinals Steal Drew Brees from New Orleans Saints?

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