Drew Brees - "very Good" But Not "great"?

[Dan]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/03/01/report-saints-want-to-pay-brees-like-a-very-good-but-not-great-qb/

Citing three league sources, Cole writes that Loomis made the distinction between Brees being “very good” and “great” in a recent discussion about the status of the soon-to-be free agent quarterback’s contract. When Loomis was asked why it was taking so long for the Saints and Brees to reach an agreement on a long-term contract extension, Loomis described Brees as “very good” when others called called him “great.”

This has to be rubbish, surely? Brees has been up there with the best QBs in the NFL for several years now, has won a Super Bowl and just smashed the single season passing record, and Loomis doesn't think he's "great"?

What do you make of this?

[Blue Horseshoe]

Personally I think the man is the 3rd best quarterback in the league after Manning and Brady.

He holds 2 major single season records, completion % and yardage and has actually held the completion % one twice.

The yardage record stood for 27 years before he not only broke it but broke it significantly.

Unless I am horribly mistaken he will walk straight into the Hall of Fame on his first eligible ballot.

If he isn't a great player then who is?

[shakedownstreet]

we all think the colts front office does stupid things until you look around the league

they have players publicly stating they'll leave if drew leaves. they just don't understand it's all about the team brand, and the reason is the gm/owner never sat them down and explained it to them

[chad72]

It is a ripple effect. Monday is a big day for the Saints organization.

If Brees gets franchise tagged, Carl Nicks or Colston is definitely gone. There goes the concept of keeping the team intact when you host your own SB. Losing either will hurt the Saints, IMO.

[Thewholefnshow28]

Loomis is playing with fire. Without Drew Brees they are still considered the Saints and there is no Super Bowl trophy sitting at their headquarters. Brees has been of the best citizens and has done wonders off the field for that organization.

I get not giving him a blank check, but you have Brady's and Manning's contracts to go off of and Brees is easily top five and arguably top three.

Loomis is going to >>> this up and waste the franchise tag on Brees when it could be used to keep their all pro guard or Colston in house.

[face_palm]

[CR91]

the media are evil.

[TennEngr]

I bet Miami would take him now.

Atlanta, Tampa Bay and Carolina are rejoicing at this confusion. The Saints better have Brees on their roster for a few more years if they are going to stay atop that division.

[Nadine]

http://profootballta...t-not-great-qb/

This has to be rubbish, surely? Brees has been up there with the best QBs in the NFL for several years now, has won a Super Bowl and just smashed the single season passing record, and Loomis doesn't think he's "great"?

What do you make of this?

he seems great to me. I had him on my fantasy team this year and won it all by a mile. I kicked butt every single week......except for saints bye

[04DarkShadowGT]

I think he is right now above Manning and Brady. Younger and just as effective.

[pacolts56]

http://profootballta...t-not-great-qb/

This has to be rubbish, surely? Brees has been up there with the best QBs in the NFL for several years now, has won a Super Bowl and just smashed the single season passing record, and Loomis doesn't think he's "great"?

What do you make of this?

If Mickey Loomis really said that about Drew Brees then its no wonder he's in the hot seat over not stopping the bounty program after Tom Benson told him to.

And if I were a Saints fan I'd be getting pretty aggravated with that dope.... but I'm the furthest thing from a Saints fan, so the more turmoil they have the better.

[21isSuperman]

Part of me wants to say this is the media again making something out of nothing, but when your GM goes out of his way to say your QB is "very good" and not "great", after he broke Marino's record and brought your team a SB, something's wrong. But then, the GM came out and said "I have always thought of Drew as a great player," he added. "Always. Even when his shoulder was damaged. That's why we wanted him."

[GoPats]

I think he is right now above Manning and Brady. Younger and just as effective.

I think so too, in the "right now" sense. If you look at the entire body-of-work of all three careers, he's a notch behind Manning and Brady, but in the here-and-now, he's probably a notch above, and has more years left than either of them.