NFL News & Rumors Digest

NEW ORLEANS (NFL) – The New Orleans Saints started their voluntary offseason workouts Monday under unusual circumstances — circumstances that were not solely limited to the fallout from their “bounty” scandal.

Saints quarterback — and unquestioned team leader — Drew Brees was noticeably absent from the day’s workouts, as the franchised signal-caller continues to engage in a contract dispute with the team. One Saint, whose good results is especially tied to Brees’ presence on the field, stated Tuesday adequate is adequate, it’s time the team signed Brees to a long-term deal.

“I assume it’s really critical,” tight end Jimmy Graham told AM-870, through SportsRadioInterviews.com. “I can don’t forget last year, for the duration of the lockout, other teams, they didn’t get with each other. Drew orchestrated and paid for a lot of the younger guys and even got me a location to stay and said, ‘Jimmy, I want you here.’ He paid that out of his personal pocket for all of us to be here coaching together and we saw what that translated into and what that meant as far as us jelling.”

Added Graham: “I’m not positive what’s going on or all the details but I just want him back as soon as feasible.”

Last week The Occasions-Picayune, citing a supply, reported that Brees was very upset at the prospect of not attending the start of workouts due to the fact “he desires to be there for his teammates.” A supply told NFL.com’s Steve Wyche last Friday that there has been no movement in contract talks among the two sides.

Brees spent Monday in New York at a meeting amongst the NFL and NFL Players Association in which the Saints’ “bounty” scandal was discussed, among other problems.

Graham swiftly became 1 of Brees’ preferred targets last season, recording 99 catches for 1,310 yards and 11 touchdowns and emerging as a single of the top tight ends in the league.

(About:) This write-up was distributed by Syndicated Sports news wire and aggregation service, For much more NFL news see: Saints’ Graham desires Drew Brees signed.

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NEW YORK — The NFL and NFLPA are meeting on Monday, with heavy-hitters in the space to discuss potential sanctions against players in the Saints’ “bounty” scandal affair.

Union officials arrived at 11 a.m. ET, with NFLPA Executive Director DeMaurice Smith major New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees and ex-Saints LB Scott Fujita, now with the Cleveland Browns, in the league office at 345 Park Ave. Both Brees and Fujita are members of the NFLPA’s executive committee. Fujita is one of the central figures amongst the players involved in the NFL’s three-year investigation.

Both the NFL and the union declined to comment on the meeting, which is expected to wrap up in the afternoon.

Also element of the union’s contingent had been NFLPA president Domonique Foxworth, union lawyers Richard Berthelsen and Heather McPhee, as nicely as Fulbright and Jaworski lawyer Richard Smith, the outside counsel the PA hired to manage the Saints case.

The league currently sanctioned the team itself, as properly as New Orleans general manager Mickey Loomis, head coach Sean Payton and assistant head coach Joe Vitt, and former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams. All but Williams appealed the penalties, but the punishments were upheld by the NFL. Payton’s season-extended suspension started out on Monday.

Loomis has been suspended for eight games and assistant head coach Joe Vitt for six games for their involvement in the system, in which defensive players had been financially rewarded for injuring opponents from 2009 to 2011. Former Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams has been suspended indefinitely for his role in the scandal.

The league has yet to announce player punishment for the “bounty” program that has rocked the Saints organization.

Jonathan Vilma is widely expected to get the harshest punishment amongst the Saints players from the league, but others could be in the crosshairs as nicely. The union interviewed Brees, as nicely as Fujita and defensive captain Will Smith at its player representative meeting last month in Marco Island, Fla.

Fujita also has a close relationship with Steve Gleason, the former Saint stricken with ALS who invited filmmaker Sean Pamphilon into a defensive meeting on the night just before the team’s NFC Divisional Playoff. That’s where Pamphilon recorded Williams’ significantly-publicized speech calling for Saints players to target 49ers players’ injuries.

The union was conscious of the tape just before it was released by Pamphilon, and issued a statement Monday confirming that.

“The NFLPA was aware of the existence of the Gregg Williams audio prior to its release,” the statement said. “We learned of the tape as element of our work to acquire any and all data connected to an alleged pay-to-injure scheme. We had no control of the content material and did not make a determination on the technique of its release. To date, the NFL has not offered the NFLPA with detailed evidence of the existence of such a plan.”

(About:) This article was distributed by Syndicated Sports news wire and aggregation service, For a lot more NFL news see: Drew Brees, Scott Fujita, DeMaurice Smith meeting NFL officials.

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New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson stated Friday that the team and quarterback Drew Brees are “close” in negotiating the franchised player’s contract status.

Benson was asked about Brees at a press conference announcing that he will become the next owner of the NBA’s New Orleans Hornets.

“I talked to Drew Brees this morning personally and told him what was going on… ” Benson mentioned. “He’s due in next week and we (are) close. You know how those things work. It just takes a small much more time, a small patience… We haven’t forgotten about him.”

NFL Network insider Jason La Canfora reported Friday that Brees is most likely to miss the starting of offseason workouts Monday simply because of his unsettled contract circumstance.

The team placed its franchise tag on Brees earlier this year and is operating on a extended-term extension, though those talks have dragged on.

(About:) This write-up was distributed by Syndicated Sports news wire and aggregation service, For far more NFL news see: Saints ‘close’ in talks with Drew Brees, owner Tom Benson says.

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At times they say it is all about the money, that’s what makes the planet go round. And it seems that the love affair between quarterback Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints couldn’t escape that fate. Regardless of the rumors that stated Drew Brees was a definitely going to remain with the Saints, it has turn into evident that the two sides of the deal have failed to reach a middle point in the negotiation for the player’s compensation. Contemplating the dangers involved in losing Drew Brees as a free of charge agent this season, the Saints have opted to use their franchise tag on Brees and secure his remain in the club. The franchise tag for a quarterback presently carries a $ 14.4 million salary cap hit. Nevertheless, that figure could very easily modify and boost considerably later on this off-season when the quarterback cap numbers are re-evaluated by the NFL.

Brees and the New Orleans Saints seemed to be at least $ 5 million dollars apart when it comes to reaching a price. Specifically for the first three years of the contract. According to the news reports we have gathered, Brees is looking for a contract that averages $ 23 million per season for the initial three years of his deal. To put items into the proper perspective, that’s the same amount the Indianapolis Colts are paying Peyton Manning in contract in common for the initial 3 seasons. The Saints on the other hands are providing their quarterback a 5-year contract that averages $ 18 million a year. It seems to be a great general provide thinking about that’s fairly much what Peyton Manning and the New England Patriot’s personal Tom Brady is creating more than the identical span.

But it seems that for the greater portion of the negotiation, it is Drew Brees who holds the greatest hand. His performance since arriving to the Saints in 2006 have been nothing brief of incredible. And it’s not just that he’s been putting good numbers, superb numbers to be a lot more precise. As a matter of truth, the Saints have reached levels of play that seemed unimaginable just a few years before he arrived. Then there is the complete Hurricane Katrina element. Drew Brees came into New Orleans just a year immediately after the hurricane struck the coast of New Orleans. It has helped to give some faith to the men and women of New Orleans that their team, formerly identified as the Aint’s (since they hadn’t win a thing) went on to unimaginable heights. Not only that but with 28,394 yards, Drew Brees has passed for a lot more yards than any other quarterback in the NFL given that he joined the squad in 2006.

Brees was the heart of the 13-3 season with which the Saints moved into the conference finals final season. As if that was not adequate, Brees set NFL single-season records with 468 completions, 5,476 yards passing and a completion percentage of 71.2. His prolific passing numbers helped the Saints set a new NFL high for total offensive yards in a season with 7,474. And that’s undoubtedly what’s going to make him have the very best hand.

(About:) This article was distributed by Syndicated Sports news wire and aggregation service, For far more news see: NFL – Saints location franchise tag on quarterback Drew Brees.

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With a wide gap separating the New Orleans Saints and Drew Brees in contract negotiations, the team reportedly has taken to characterizing its quarterback in reserved terms.

Saints common manager Mickey Loomis, who has led the negotiations, recently called Brees “very excellent” in response to the quarterback being called “great,” three league sources told Yahoo! Sports.

Brees, who led the Saints to their only Super Bowl title in the 2009 season, threw for an NFL-record five,476 yards and 46 touchdowns in 2011 and was voted the NFL Offensive Player of the Year.

Brees has grown frustrated with the state of negotiations with the Saints and likely will have the team’s franchise tag utilized on him, NFL Network insider Jason La Canfora reported. Teams have till March five to use the tag.

The franchise-tag figure for quarterbacks is expected to be about $ 14.4 million, which could prove problematic for the Saints. Wide receiver Marques Colston and guard Carl Nicks also are scheduled to turn into free of charge agents March 13, and employing the franchise tag on Brees would limit the Saints’ capability to bring back those two important players.

(About:) This write-up was distributed by Syndicated Sports news wire and aggregation service, For far more NFL news see: Saints GM reportedly calls Brees ‘very good’ but not ‘great’.

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The New Orleans Saints are searching strong towards the end of the season. The squad is motivated and they knew really well what it takes to make it into the Super Bowl and come out with the Vince Lombardi Trophy. In its core, this is still the same team that was guided by Drew Brees and Co. to the XLIV Super Bowl Championship ring in 2009. The Saints have won their last 8 straight games, and in spite of running the opportunity of injury, they finished the normal season with no mercy and just proving that their offensive lineup is as frightening and powerful as any other squad in the team, including Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers.

The Saints are undertaking items so nicely this season under head coach Sean Peyton’s orders that they finished off with a 45-17 blowout of Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. Certain adequate, Cam Newton may possibly finish of his very first year of his pro career with the rookie MVP award, but on Sunday, it would be up to Drew Brees to show the youngster how the pros do it. On the 1 hand we have to recognize that this was really a risky move for Peyton. Winning or losing against the Panthers wouldn’t have really changed much for his playoffs plans, but on the other hand, he knew that there was just a bit too considerably at stake just to let the bench play this one out.

In the 2010-09 season, coach Peyton opted to rest his starters on the last stretch of the 16-game stretch. He wanted to stop injuries and rest his players. This time around, he desires to give his players a motivational boost: so he keep his starters out to finish off the Panthers and finish the season breaking all sorts of records for the franchise and the league. Check it out: the Saints broke the NFL single-season records in the following categories: season total offensive yards with 7,474 team total yards passing with five,347 and 1st downs with 416.

Brees also collected some good records for his own career. Brees, who was 28 of 35, finished with a record 468 completions this season, breaking Peyton Manning’s 2010 mark of 450. He finished the season completing 71.6 percent of his passes, breaking his own 2009 NFL record 70.six completion percentage. But possibly the most important record is the 1 he battled out against Tom Brady this very same season: Most Pass Yards in a single season. For nearly 30 years, Dan Marino had held the record with 5,084 total yards back in 1984. At the finish, 2011 would be the year when both Tom Brady of the New England Patriots and Drew Brees of the Saints would break that record. Brady finished the season with five,235 yards, but he wasn’t in a position to catch up to Brees who finished off the regular season with a whopping five,476 passing yards.

We require to give the Carolina Panthers a small credit. Cam Newton and Co. had managed to win 4 of their last five games, and even managed to preserve up against the Saints for the far better component of the first half. But there was simply no stopping the Saints in the final two quarters. How is this for building up momentum just before the postseason: the Saints set a franchise single-game record with 617 yards of total offense on Sunday.

(About:) This post was distributed by Syndicated Sports news wire and aggregation service, For much more news see: NFL – Drew Brees and the Saints are looking strong for the Playoffs.

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NEW ORLEANS — Drew Brees has broken the NFL record for yards passing in a season, surpassing a mark that had stood given that Dan Marino set it in 1984.

Brees topped Marino’s record of 5,084 yards with a 9-yard touchdown pass to Darren Sproles in Monday night’s 45-16 win against the Atlanta Falcons.

“Honestly, I was really attempting not to think about the record or anything,” Brees said. “I knew we had been close. A couple guys mentioned stuff to me on the sideline. I didn’t want to hear it. It’s like a pitcher with a no-hitter, I guess.”

As Sproles spiked the ball, Brees thrust his fist triumphantly in the air and started walking toward midfield whilst the Superdome crowd went wild and his teammates chased him down. Offensive lineman Carl Nicks was the very first 1 to get there and tried to lift Brees onto his shoulder, but couldn’t do it as teammates swarmed around.

“If I could have put him on my shoulders and paraded him about the complete stadium I would have performed that. He deserves it,” Nicks said. “It’s like a movie, man. Just a film ending. It’s lovely. … You could tell by every person’s reaction right after he did it how a lot people care about that guy. We all love him.”

Marino tweeted following the record-setting play: “Congrats to @drewbrees. Wonderful job by such a special player.”

Brees entered the game with 4,780 yards, needing 305 to set the record. He has passed for 300 yards or much more an NFL-record 12 occasions this season — with one game still to play. This was his sixth consecutive 200-yard game, which ties an NFL record also shared by Steve Young, Kurt Warner and Wealthy Gannon.

Brees threatened Marino’s record as soon as before in 2008, when he finished with five,069 yards, creating him and Marino the only quarterbacks to pass for five,000 yards in a season.

Copyright 2011

(About:) This post was distributed by Syndicated Sports news wire and aggregation service, For far more NFL news see: Brees breaks Marino’s 27-year-old passing yardage mark.

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The Atlanta Falcons nonetheless can repeat as NFC South champions this season, but they’ll have to figure out a way to beat the surging Saints in New Orleans on Monday night to do it.

This won’t be easy, especially when you contemplate that Drew Brees and the Saints’ offense are on one of the most prolific rolls in recent memory.

“You can’t stop them you’ve just got to slow them down,” Falcons coach Mike Smith stated Thursday, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Great luck with that. Brees has looked unstoppable for big stretches for the duration of the Saints’ six-game win streak. He’s coming off possibly the greatest statistical game of his profession (32 of 40, 412 yards, 5 TDs, INT) in a Week 15 blowout of the Vikings. He demands just 307 yards passing to break Dan Marino’s all-time single-season yardage mark.

“There is such great solid personnel around Drew, you’ve got to move into some other places like what they like to do in specific conditions with particular personnel,” defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder stated. “You have to concentrate on situation football. But boy, there are too many productive players to concentrate in on one here or there. The scenarios will permit you to do that far better than just going in and saying ‘let’s stop Jimmy Graham’ or ‘let’s stop (Darren) Sproles.’ “

The Falcons (9-five) can take the division with wins more than the Saints and Buccaneers coupled with a New Orleans (11-4) stumble against Cam Newton and the Panthers in Week 17. The chances aren’t very good, but there’s a opportunity nonetheless.

(About:) This write-up was distributed by Syndicated Sports news wire and aggregation service, For a lot more NFL news see: Falcons’ Smith relies on bend-don’t-break method vs. Saints.

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