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鈥?Drew Brees dispensed with technicalities regarding his contract and spoke as if his return to New Orleans next season was virtually assured.“It’s the same way I felt two days ago. It’s the same way I felt 12 years ago. I’ll be here as long as they’ll have me Jordan Whitehead Jersey Buccaneers ,” Brees said Tuesday in the locker room at Saints headquarters, where players were packing up for the offseason following their dramatic elimination from the playoffs in Minnesota last weekend.Brees acknowledged he’d have leverage if he chose to listen to offers from other clubs, but asserted that he has no plans to do so for professional and personal reasons.The Saints have pieces in place to be a contender in upcoming seasons, having nearly advanced to the NFC title game with a roster featuring numerous first- and second-year regulars.“Do I feel like this team has what it takes? Yes, I do,” Brees said.Then there are Brees’ ever-deepening ties to New Orleans. He was 27 and childless when he arrived. Now he’s a father of four who turned 39 on Monday.“Certainly, the relationship with this city will always play a strong role in me wanting to be here and … wanting to finish my career here,” Brees said.And there’s no guarantee he’ll have better synergy with any coach than he’s had with Sean Payton.“We have a great history together,” Brees said, recalling how Payton courted him in 2006 while he was still rehabilitating from major throwing-shoulder surgery. “I’m here because he believed in me.”Brees has since passed for 58,097 yards and 408 touchdowns, won a Super Bowl and led New Orleans to six playoff berths. This season, his completion rate of 72 percent set an NFL record.Payton on Tuesday declined to discuss how the team will address Brees’ contract, saying now is “not the time.”But letting Brees go would be costly for New Orleans 鈥?financially and on the field.Brees’ contract technically runs through 2018, but voids automatically when the new league year begins on March 14. That was done for two reasons. The Saints received salary cap flexibility they needed in 2016 by spreading Brees’ guaranteed money over two more years. Brees gained leverage because the Saints lose $18 million in salary cap space in 2018 if they fail to re-sign him.That’s given Brees confidence that an extension is inevitable.“I don’t plan on this being something that goes until March 14th,” said Brees, who also spoke about the 2018 Saints as if presuming he’ll be their QB.“We have a great window of opportunity,” Brees said. “I’ve been a part of talented teams in the past, though, that have not lived up to expectations. I’ve also been a part of teams that were just gutsy and gritty, and surpassed expectations.“Bottom line 鈥?success is dependent upon your willingness to work and the way that guys care about one another and the sense of urgency,” Brees continued. “So while I think we do have a talented team, I know that each year you have to go out and prove it.”Several players said they were still struggling to come to grips with the sudden, stunning end of their season on a 61-yard Vikings touchdown as time expired Sunday.“I couldn’t stop thinking about it if I wanted to,” defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins said. “Hopefully it’ll be more fuel than anything and I can just go train as hard as I can.”Payton wore a black track suit with Saints emblems on it, as if to symbolize that he is off and running in his effort to build upon the success of 2017.“We have to look at every area we can improve 鈥?every area, not just one specific area,” Payton declared. “There’s nothing promised. We’ve got a lot of work to do.”Three significant contributors are entering free agency: safety Kenny Vaccaro Sam Darnold Jersey , defensive end Alex Okafor and offensive lineman Senio Kelemete.Meanwhile, 34-year-old right tackle Zach Strief, a Week 1 starter who spent most of the season on injured reserve, said he hasn’t decided whether he’ll retire. Strief likely would have to accept a pay cut and possibly a backup role if he returns. He’s due about $3.9 million next season and his successor, 2017 first-round draft choice Ryan Ramczyk, proved this season he was ready to step in. Strief also is rehabilitating from reconstructive knee surgery.“No matter how you feel in the moment, sometimes when you’re in training camp and in your 12th year, you’re like, ‘Man, this is ridiculous. I’m tired of this,'” Strief said. “I felt like I was playing at a high level through training camp, and last year was one of my better years. So I think physically, it’s something I can do. But the reality is there’s as much mental preparation as physical.” A look at the players to be inducted Sunday into the Baseball Hall of Fame:
LARRY WAYNE "CHIPPER" JONES JR.: Born April 24, 1972 in Deland, Florida. ... 6-foot-4, 210 pounds, batted both, threw right. ... elected in first year of eligibility with 97.2 percent (410 of 422) of the vote. ... drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the first round of the 1990 MLB amateur draft out of the Bolles School in Jacksonville, Florida. ... in 19 seasons with the Braves had 2,726 hits, 1,055 for extra bases, and batted .303 with 468 home runs, 1,623 RBIs and 150 stolen bases. ... eight-time All-Star third baseman. ... was a force for most of the Atlanta teams that won 14 straight division titles and one World Series. ... in 1999 hit 45 homers and 41 doubles, drove in 126 runs, scored 116 times, drew 126 walks Browns Elite Jerseys , and stole 20 bases to win NL MVP Award. ... won NL Silver Slugger Award for third basemen in 1999-2000. ... in 2006 had an extra-base hit in 14 straight games to tie the MLB record set in 1927 by Pittsburgh's Paul Waner. ... led MLB in hitting in 2008 with .364 average. ... only switch-hitter in MLB history with career batting average of at least .300 and 400 or more homers.
JAMES HOWARD THOME: Born Aug. 27, 1970 in Peoria, Illinois. ... 6-foot-4, 250 pounds, batted left, threw right. ... elected in first year of eligibility, one of only 54 players to do so, receiving 89.8 percent of the ballots. ... selected by the Cleveland Indians out of Illinois Central College in the 13th round of the 1989 amateur draft. ... batted .276, played in 2,543 games and had 2,328 hits, 1,583 runs, 612 home runs and 1,699 RBIs in 22 seasons with the Indians, White Sox, Phillies, Dodgers, Twins and Orioles. ... played first base, third base and designated hitter ... had a record 13 walk-off homers and hit 40 or more home runs six times. ... five-time All-Star. ... best season was 2002 in Cleveland when he hit a career-high 52 home runs with 118 RBIs and led AL in walks (122), slugging percentage (.677) and on-base plus slugging (OPS) (1.122), and batted .304 with an on-base percentage of .445. ... hit 17 homers in the postseason.
VLADIMIR ALVINO GUERRERO: Born Feb. 9, 1975, in Don Gregorio, Dominican Republic. ... 6-foot-3, 235 pounds, batted right and threw right. .. earned votes on 92.9 percent of all BBWAA ballots cast in his second year of eligibility. ... batted .318 with 2,590 hits Cheap Jamal Adams Jersey , 449 home runs, 1,496 RBIs and .553 slugging percentage in 16 seasons for the Expos, Angels, Rangers and Orioles. ... nine-time All-Star. ... had 39 doubles, 39 homers, 124 runs and 126 RBIs to win 2004 AL MVP Award. ... eight-time Silver Slugger Award winner. ... hit .300 or higher 13 times, drove in 100 or more runs 10 times, and connected for at least 30 homers eight times. ... notorious free-swinging, bad-ball hitter who slammed 126 first-pitch homers and struck out just 985 times. ... strong-armed outfielder who had 14 seasons of double-digit assists and 14 seasons of at least 10 errors and finished career with 126 assists and 125 errors. ... spent six seasons with the Angels after eight years in Montreal and will be first player inducted with an Angels logo on his Hall plaque.
TREVOR WILLIAM HOFFMAN: Born Oct. 13, 1967 in Bellflower, California. ... 6-foot-1, 200 pounds, batted right and threw right. ... received 79.9 percent of the Hall of Fame vote after missing by only five votes last year. ... drafted by the Cincinnati Reds on the 11th round of the 1989 MLB amateur draft. ... was a minor league infielder for three seasons before becoming a relief pitcher. ... in 18 years mainly with the San Diego Padres appeared in 1,035 games, posting a 61-75 record and registering 601 saves, second all-time to Mariano Rivera's 652. ... sixth pitcher who served mostly as a reliever to make the Hall of Fame. ... in 1,089.1 innings pitched allowed 846 hits, 378 runs, struck out 1,133 and had a career ERA of 2.87.
JOHN SCOTT MORRIS: Born: May 16, 1955, in St. Paul, Minnesota. ... 6-foot-3, 195 pounds, batted right and threw right. ... elected last December by a veterans committee. ... drafted by the Detroit Tigers on the fifth round of the 1976 MLB amateur draft out of Brigham Young University. ... in 18 years with Detroit, Minnesota, Toronto and Cleveland pitched 3 Authentic Jason McCourty Jersey ,824 innings and posted a 254-186 record with 2,478 strikeouts. ... had 175 complete games and a career ERA of 3.90, the highest of any pitcher in the Hall of Fame. ... five-time All-Star. ... played on four World Series champions, Detroit (1984), Minnesota (1991), and Toronto (1992-93). ... one of six players in MLB history to win consecutive World Series titles on different teams. ... was 7-4 with five complete games in 13 postseason starts. ... went 4-2 with an ERA of 2.96 in six World Series starts, completing three. ... started the most games (332), pitched the most innings (2,443.2), and had the most wins (162) of any pitcher in the 1980s. ... retired after the 1994 season and appeared on the Hall of Fame ballot for the first time in 2000. ... has worked as a broadcaster for the Blue Jays, Twins, and Tigers since retiring.
ALAN STUART TRAMMELL: Born Feb. 21, 1958 in Garden Grove, California. ... 6 foot, 165 pounds, batted right and threw right. ... elected last December by a veterans committee. ... drafted by the Detroit Tigers on the second round of the 1976 MLB amateur draft. ... consistent all-around producer at shortstop from 1977-96, playing in 2,293 games for the Tigers. ... had 2,365 hits, 185 homers, 1,003 RBIs, 1,231 runs, and 236 stolen bases. ... six-time All-Star. ... earned four Gold Glove Awards and three Silver Slugger Awards. ... hit two home runs in one game and batted .450 to win MVP honors in Detroit's five-game triumph over the San Diego Padres in 1984 World Series. ... in 1987 finished second in AL MVP voting after hitting .343 with 28 homers and 105 RBIs while batting cleanup. ... seven-time .300 hitter with a .285 career batting average. .