The Saints offered Brees a long-term contract before the 2011 season that would have made him the highest-paid player in the NFL and Brees and his agent, Tom Condon turned the contract down, a league source told CBSSports.com.

"[General manager Mickey Loomis] offered Brees the highest-paid contract in NFL history," the source said. "Does that not equate with great or elite?"

Click to expand...

That was the word coming out of the NFL scouting combine this past week, when Saints general manager Mickey Loomis tried to define Brees as “very good” when the quarterback was called “great,” according to three league sources. All three sources were asking Loomis why it was taking so long to sign Brees to a contract extension. Loomis’ answer spoke volumes.

Click to expand...

"I don't think the Saints are counting on that situation," a source said of Brees possibly having a $23 million-plus franchise tag. "I think [New Orleans general manager] Mickey Loomis is crunching some much lower numbers than that."

Loomis is also trying to crunch some different logic with his fellow executives. Last week, two executives from other teams said Loomis was saying he intended to keep Brees' contract in line with being "one of the top five quarterbacks in the league."

Click to expand...