5 scenarios on how the Drew Brees-Saints situation pans out

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Dec 29, 2013; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) holds his helmet up to fans as he leaves the field at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. New Orleans defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 42-17. Mandatory Credit: Crystal LoGiudice-USA TODAY Sports /

Merely suggesting a notion of Drew Brees not being with the New Orleans Saints is liable to get someone criticized these days. However, I’m more than willing to jump on the sword today.

As I can feel the gradual hate flowing through you as you continue reading, I assure you that I don’t believe the Saints best course of action is to move on from Drew Brees when the time comes.

The sad truth of it all is that the Saints could have dealt with this long before we’ve come to this point. That in itself puts them in a realm that has fans uneasy with the front office. The parties involved – mainly agent Tom Condon and general manager Mickey Loomis – will have a lot to consider. Brees certainly feels that he can play well until his 40s, and a contract extension with the Saints will likely take him until he turns 41 or even 42.

“I don’t see any reason why I can’t play at the highest level for the next five years minimum. It really comes down to how long do I want to play,” Brees told the media on Thursday after practice.

A handful of quarterbacks have played into their 40s, most notably Brett Favre, Matt Hasselbeck, Warren Moon, Vinny Testaverde, Doug Flutie, and Mark Brunell for the more common era football fans. But, you can’t forget about George Blanda, who played until the age of 48, Earl Morrall, and Steve DeBerg. So, it’s not uncommon to project someone who continues to stay in great shape and hasn’t displayed signs of slowing down to not play for several more seasons, and more importantly still be effective.

Here’s what we do know.

Right now, Drew Brees is scheduled to become a free agent after 2016. He’s going to be the Saints’ quarterback for this upcoming season, and that’s where the focus is. Also from his Thursday interview with the media, Brees said that a contract extension is the last thing on his mind and that he’s only focused on helping the team.

Let’s go to fantasy land and use the crystal ball to see how some scenarios could pan out for arguably the best New Orleans Saints player to ever put on black and gold.

Next: The best-case scenario