Brees makes short jump to Brady, Peyton stature

Two years ago, it would have been blasphemous to even consider there was another NFL quarterback in the same class with New England's Tom Brady and Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts.

They were -- and are -- 1 and 1A, depending on your preference.

Drew Brees and coach Sean Payton have been a potent pair in New Orleans. (US Presswire)

Now say hello to 1B. His name is Drew Brees, quarterback of the New Orleans Saints.

"Yes, he's up there with them," Jacksonville Jaguars corner Rashean Mathis said. "He's proven it year in and year out. His numbers speak for themselves. You can't argue where he stands. He's definitely up there with those two."

In an unscientific poll of a handful of general managers, coaches and players, the consensus opinion is that Brees has moved into the elite stratosphere of quarterbacks, alongside both Brady and Manning.

It's been thought for most of the past decade that Manning and Brady were a couple levels above the next group of passers.

They need to make room on the ledge for the short guy slinging it on the Bayou.

There wasn't one person interviewed who didn't think Brees should be up there. Some mentioned his needing a Super Bowl ring to make it a definite, but even that didn't keep them from putting him into that rarified quarterback level.

Brees is off to a torrid start with the New Orleans Saints, throwing nine touchdown passes in his first two games, putting him on a wacky pace to throw 72 for the season, which would be 22 more than Brady's record of 50. This hit start comes after a 2008 season that saw Brees come within 16 yards of breaking Dan Marino's single-season record for passing yards. He finished with 5,069 yards, second-best in league history.

In each of his three seasons with the Saints, since coming over as a free agent in 2006, Brees has thrown for over 4,000 yards and averaged 29 touchdown passes a season.

I asked Brees this spring during a minicamp if he felt he was in the elite class with Manning and Brady. He laughed.

"I wouldn't say no," he said.

Neither did any of those I asked.

"As much as I believe in size at the quarterback position, I fully believe he is in that class," said one NFC personnel director. "His ability to throw on the run equalizes his lack of size. He certainly should be considered in the top group with Brady and Manning."

"He's as good as there is in the league," said longtime safety Brian Russell, now with the Jaguars. "I think he's proven a lot of people wrong. But he is up there with those two."

Brees averaged 4,637 yards the past three seasons, second only to Dan Marino for a three-year run -- 4,665 yards from 1984-86. Manning's best three-year run in terms of yardage was from 2002-04 when he averaged 4,341 passing yards while Brady's best was from 2005-08 when he averaged 4,148 passing yards.

Those two have the edge on Brees in touchdown passes during those three-year runs, with Manning averaging 35 per season, Brady 33.3 and Brees 29.3.

Brees can own the four-year run if he continues at his current pace. He is on a course to throw for 5,352 yards, which would break Marino's record, and the 72 touchdown passes. If he comes close to those numbers, his four-year numbers will be the better than the other two ever had.

"It's more than the numbers," said an AFC personnel director. "He makes it look so easy. He always seems to know where to go with the football. His vision and accuracy are amazing."

What makes Brees' ascent to the top so stunning is that he doesn't come close to looking like Brady and Manning. They are both prototypical -- standing at least 6-feet-4 and looking strong and powerful while easily seeing over the line. Brees is barely 6-feet tall, which makes throwing over the top a lot tougher.

That lack of size is why Brees lasted until the second round of the 2001 draft coming out of Purdue. There were also questions about his arm strength, which is why his amazing numbers for the Boliermakers were discounted some by the scouts.

"Like Brady, his arm has gotten stronger," said the AFC personnel director. "We didn't know for sure how good it was coming out."

Said Russell: "He can rifle it in there."

Brees spent five seasons with the Chargers, with his best season coming in 2004 when he threw for 3,159 yards and 27 touchdown passes. But in 2005, he suffered a shoulder injury -- a torn labrum -- that required surgery and the Chargers opted to let him leave via free agency to play Philip Rivers.

When Brees was on the market, some thought he was damaged goods. How reliable is a quarterback with a surgically repaired shoulder?

His fastball wasn't in the high 90s and a cut shoulder might make it worse, some theorized.

The Saints took a chance and Brees landed with the perfect coach for his style of play in Sean Payton. The two haven't let their foot off the pedal since Brees took over. They play an up-tempo style that lends itself to a smart quarterback, who is an extension of the coach. Payton gives Brees ample freedom to run the offense from behind center.

"He's so good at the line," said another NFC general manager. "You see him getting his team into the right play almost all the time. He has that knack for doing the perfect thing to counter what you do."

Then there's the accuracy. Every person I spoke to for this story made mention of his ability to put the ball into tight spots. But more than that, he gives it to his receivers on the move.

Brees is fifth all-time with a 64.1 completion percentage. That's just behind Manning (64.5) and ahead of Brady (63.0).

"It's on the hands of the receivers all the time," said an NFC coach. "He fits it into tight windows. You don't see a lot of errant throws."

Manning and Brady posted two of the greatest individual passing seasons ever. In 2004, Manning threw for 4,557 yards, 49 touchdown passes and had a pass rating of 121.1 In 2007, Brady passed for 4,806 yards, 50 touchdowns and had a passer rating of 117.2

If Brees takes those down, his case for being an elite quarterback will grow stronger. But some of those interviewed for this story think he has to win a ring before he can truly be considered in the same class. Brady has three rings and Manning has one -- Brees is still looking.

Some even compared what he's doing now to what Manning did before he won his ring. At the time, Manning was considered one of the game's great passers, but he wasn't graded as high on the all-time lists sans a Super Bowl victory.

"If he wants to get to the 1A tier he has to win one," said the NFC personnel director.

"Manning and Brady have won so many pressure games," said the AFC personnel director. "I'd like to see him win more pressure games in the playoffs and then win a Super Bowl. If he does that, there will be no debate."

The players didn't buy it.

"No, he's there now," Mathis said. "Look at what he's done. I don't care that he hasn't won a Super Bowl. He's still a great player."

"That would make it an easier argument," said Russell. "But it won't change my mind if he doesn't."

So here's a welcome to the club for Drew Brees. You've made it.

You're officially now 1B.

What's the view like from above?