Drew Brees isn't going anywhere in 2016.
The veteran quarterback all but stamped a ticket for his 11th season in New Orleans on Wednesday, when $10.85 million of his $20 million salary in 2016 became guaranteed. ESPN's Adam Schefter first noted the development.
NFL Media's Albert Breer reported there is an additional $10 million in prorated money from Brees' deal on the Saints' salary cap, locking the team into $20.85 million of Brees' astronomical $30 million cap hit.
The Saints are simply in too deep to make a seismic Brees move -- even if they wanted to. The bigger question becomes whether New Orleans wants to sign Brees to a new deal that eases their salary cap burden while giving their 37-year-old quarterback more security. Brees is entering the final year of his deal.
In other Saints news, safety Jairus Byrd also had considerable money in his contract kick in. According to The Times-Picayune, $6 million of Byrd's $7.4 million 2016 base salary becoming guaranteed.