They will call Drew Brees selfish.
He's thinking about himself -- and just himself.
How dare he not take a deal that would make him the highest-paid player in the NFL and instead force the Saints to use the franchise tag on him to keep him off the market?
Here's what I say to that: Brees has to do what he feels is best for himself. There are a lot of people out there who will say Brees should have signed a deal with the Saints to help the team get some cap relief to sign Carl Nicks and Marques Colston before free agency.
That's not his duty. He serves himself. He's an independent contractor. If he and his agent don't like the deal the Saints have offered, they don't take it.
The other part is on the team. They need to make it work.
Having said all that, let's get off this Brees-is-the-savior of New Orleans talk while we're at it. If this negotiation has taught us anything, it's that all players -- no matter what image they portray -- are in it for themselves.
Never forget that.
But don't get mad at Brees. He's looking out for No. 9 -- or in this case, as it always is, No. 1.
