The Saints and Drew Brees haven’t had contract extension talks in about a month and a half, the quarterback said Wednesday (Twitter link via Evan Woodbery of NFL.com). Brees added that he doesn’t like talking contract during the season, per Larry Holder of NOLA.com (on Twitter). That means the Saints’ hopes of extending the 37-year-old could be put on hold for a while if they don’t lock him up prior to their Sept. 11 opener. Brees is currently scheduled to count $30MM against New Orleans’ cap this year, the final season of his contract.
Here’s more from around the NFL:
- Although the Eagles traded up in the draft to use the No. 2 overall pick on quarterback Carson Wentz, the expectation is that veteran Sam Bradford will at least begin the 2016 season as their starter. That might not be the case, however, according to new offensive coordinator Frank Reich. On whether Bradford is the Eagles’ clear-cut No. 1 option under center, Reich told CBS Philly, “No, that’s probably not the right impression.” He continued, “This is one of the most competitive industries in the world and so, to say that there’s not competition, that’s just the furthest thing from the truth.”
- Longtime Browns left tackle Joe Thomas stated at the end of last season that he wasn’t sure if he wanted to continue his career with rebuilding Cleveland, but the nine-year veteran is now pleased that the team didn’t trade him. “It wouldn’t have surprised me if I had been traded, but I’m happy that I didn’t. So it’s kind of a happy ending,” he told Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal. Thomas, who has gone to the Pro Bowl every year of his career, is also pleased with the Browns’ new head coach, Hue Jackson. “I was always jealous of the guys that were in Cincinnati running Hue Jackson’s offense because it’s a very offensive line friendly offense, a lot of quick throws, a lot of easy fade balls, a lot of different formations to spread the defense out, confuse them, get them into really vanilla looks, some up-tempo stuff, smash-mouth football, he really wants to run the ball inside the tackles,” he said.
- Like Thomas, Jaguars left tackle Luke Joeckel is glad he’s still with his current club. “I love Jacksonville. I’d love to stay here. It all comes down to my play. I’m only focused on myself and me playing football, getting better at left tackle,” he said (link via Mike DiRocco of ESPN.com). While Joeckel’s goal is to improve at tackle, there’s a good chance he’ll shift inside to guard if free agent pickup Kelvin Beachum wins the LT job, as expected, per DiRocco. Since the Jags used the second pick of the 2013 draft on Joeckel, the former Texas A&M standout has been a disappointment. Joeckel’s struggles led Jacksonville to decline his fifth-year option for 2017 and sign Beachum.
- It’s not clear whether right tackle Seantrel Henderson will be a part of the Bills‘ plans in 2016 and coach Rex Ryan admits that he hasn’t spoken to him in some time. “I have no update for you guys on that. So that is a medical thing,” Ryan said (link via Joe Buscaglia of WKBW) “I really have no update. I haven’t seen Seantrel in quite a while.” A seventh-round pick in 2014, Henderson started all 16 games in his rookie season in Buffalo, and had started 10 games for the team in 2015 before he was sidelined with Crohn’s disease.
- Free agent wide receiver Wes Welker isn’t sure if he wants to continue his NFL career in 2016. “There are some days I wake up I’m like, ‘OK I’m done,’ and other days I wake up and I’m like, ‘Maybe one more year,'” the five-time Pro Bowler said Wednesday, per NFL Media (via Twitter). Welker, 35, joined the Rams midway through last season and posted unimpressive numbers (13 receptions and 102 yards) in eight games.
Zach Links contributed to this post.