NFL notebook: Saints' Brees to
return in 2020
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[February 19, 2020]
New Orleans Saints quarterback
Drew Brees will be back in 2020.
Brees, 41, announced Tuesday he is set to return and make "another
run" with the Saints. Brees, however, is an unrestricted free agent
and not under contract for the upcoming season. But he said in
January that he was down to two options: retiring or playing another
season in New Orleans.
Brees enters his 20th season and earned $25 million in 2019, when he
was the 10th-highest-paid quarterback in the NFL. According to
Spotrac, Brees has career earnings of $244.7 million, highest among
all active players.
Tom Brady, a free agent who has spent his entire career with the New
England Patriots, has made about $235 million.
--Ex-Carolina Panthers tight end Greg Olsen agreed to contract terms
with the Seattle Seahawks.
Terms were not disclosed, but multiple outlets report it's a
one-year, $7 million contract with $5.5 million guaranteed. ESPN
reported Olsen also negotiated with the Buffalo Bills and Washington
Redskins after visiting all three teams, but he was most interested
in playing alongside Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson.
Olsen, who will turn 35 in March, is entering his 14th NFL season
after spending the past nine with Carolina. The Panthers released
him this month after he finished last season with 52 catches for 597
yards and two touchdowns in 14 games.
--President Donald Trump pardoned former San Francisco 49ers owner
Eddie DeBartolo Jr. for a federal bribery conviction related to an
attempt to secure a Louisiana casino license.
With several former players at the White House for the announcement,
including Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice, DeBartolo Jr. was
granted clemency for his 1998 felony conviction. DeBartolo avoided
jail time, but the NFL forced a transfer of ownership of the team.
DeBartolo shifted controlling interests to his sister, Denise
DeBartolo York, and the family still is running the 49ers with Jed
York as the face of the franchise.
DeBartolo is best known for helping to build the 49ers along with
head coach Bill Walsh in the 1980s and early 1990s. DeBartolo was
voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016.
--Denver Broncos quarterback Joe Flacco intends to continue playing
in 2020, assuming he is cleared medically in his recovery from a
neck injury, his agent said.
"Joe has every intention to play but not at the risk of his
long-term health," agent Joe Linta told 9News Denver.
Flacco, 35, was placed on injured reserve Nov. 1 because of a
herniated cervical disk in his neck. Reports at the time said he was
expected to avoid surgery, but Flacco told reporters last month that
a decision about surgery remained up in the air, pending MRI tests.
[to top of second column] |
Saints quarterback Drew Brees throws the ball during NFC practice at
ESPN Wide World of Sports. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY
Sports
--Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry has heard the whispers
surrounding his team's possible interest in Tom Brady in free
agency.
While Henry spoke glowingly about the six-time Super Bowl champion
on the Bussin' with the Boys podcast, the running back then was
asked by former teammate Will Compton if he'd like to see Brady play
for the Titans.
"He still can play," Henry said of Brady, 42. "Obviously, age
doesn't matter for him; he's still playing at a high level. But my
question would be: Why ain't Ryan (Tannehill) good enough, you know?
... Speaking for everyone on the offense, we fed off of him. ...
Ryan Tannehill is our quarterback and went to the AFC Championship,
why would we not want Ryan back?"
--The Pittsburgh Steelers hired Ike Hilliard as their wide receivers
coach.
Hilliard, 43, spent the past six seasons in his second stint with
the Washington Redskins (2014-19). He also had one-year stints with
the Redskins (2012), Buffalo Bills (2013) and Miami Dolphins (2011).
Hilliard replaces interim receivers coach Ray Sherman, who came out
of retirement to join the staff after Darryl Drake died during
training camp at age 62 last August.
--Houston Texans inside linebacker Benardrick McKinney underwent
arthroscopic ankle surgery, according to the Houston Chronicle.
Per the report, McKinney is expected to fully recover before the
2020 season.
McKinney, 27, a second-round pick by the Texans in 2015, was a Pro
Bowl selection in 2018. Last season, he had 101 tackles (54 solo),
one sack, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries in 14 games.
--The Philadelphia Eagles will decline the contract option on
linebacker Nigel Bradham, making him a free agent on March 18,
according to multiple reports.
Bradham, 30, was a four-year starter for the Eagles after playing
four seasons with the Buffalo Bills. He made 61 tackles last season,
starting all 12 games in which he played.
He signed a five-year, $40 million contract in March 2018, but only
$8 million was guaranteed. The Eagles will save about $4.5 million
in 2020 with his release.
--Field Level Media
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