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Last April, the San Diego Chargers were willing to give away Drew Brees for a fourth-round pick. Now they are about to name him their franchise player.
Chargers general manager A.J. Smith is expected to announce at a 6PM ET news conference that the team will slap a franchise tag on Brees, giving the Pro Bowl quarterback a salary of $8.078 million in 2005 - the average of the top five players at his position.
Brees won the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year award after passing for 3,159 yards and 27 touchdowns. He led the Chargers to a 12-4 record and the AFC West title this past season.
A second-round pick in 2001, Brees started 27 games over his first three years with San Diego and threw for 29 touchdowns with 31 interceptions.
Those numbers convinced Smith to make a change at quarterback. With the first pick in the 2004 draft, Smith selected Eli Manning, who told the Chargers he did not want to play for them. Smith then traded Manning to the New York Giants in a deal for quarterback Philip Rivers, the fourth overall pick in the draft, and attempted to trade Brees.
However, Rivers was a holdout for most of training camp before signing a six-year contract worth at least $40 million. That holdout enabled Brees to keep his starting job and he took full advantage, recording a quarterback rating of 104.8 - second only to Peyton Manning of Indianapolis in the AFC - and earning a Pro Bowl selection.
The 26-year-old Brees would be a hot commodity as an unrestricted free agent. By placing the franchise tag on Brees, the Chargers would receive two first-round picks as compensation if they elect not to match any offer he would command.
Source: AP
Chargers general manager A.J. Smith is expected to announce at a 6PM ET news conference that the team will slap a franchise tag on Brees, giving the Pro Bowl quarterback a salary of $8.078 million in 2005 - the average of the top five players at his position.
Brees won the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year award after passing for 3,159 yards and 27 touchdowns. He led the Chargers to a 12-4 record and the AFC West title this past season.
A second-round pick in 2001, Brees started 27 games over his first three years with San Diego and threw for 29 touchdowns with 31 interceptions.
Those numbers convinced Smith to make a change at quarterback. With the first pick in the 2004 draft, Smith selected Eli Manning, who told the Chargers he did not want to play for them. Smith then traded Manning to the New York Giants in a deal for quarterback Philip Rivers, the fourth overall pick in the draft, and attempted to trade Brees.
However, Rivers was a holdout for most of training camp before signing a six-year contract worth at least $40 million. That holdout enabled Brees to keep his starting job and he took full advantage, recording a quarterback rating of 104.8 - second only to Peyton Manning of Indianapolis in the AFC - and earning a Pro Bowl selection.
The 26-year-old Brees would be a hot commodity as an unrestricted free agent. By placing the franchise tag on Brees, the Chargers would receive two first-round picks as compensation if they elect not to match any offer he would command.
Source: AP