My "What’s Taking So Long" Drew Retirement Tin Foil Hot Take.

Payton, Loomis, and Brees are trying avoid NFL retaliation on a early Post June designation retirement.

Last year... We had the NFL trying to accuse us trying to manipulate the comp pick system by signing Winston after the comp pick deadline. Even though, a bunch of other teams where doing the same thing. We get targeted and accused. They denied a trade(Clowney) that has happened in this league a couple of time. Then, the covid penalty pick.

Goodell or whoever hates us at NFL HQ probably sees with blood in the water to send us back in to the 7-9 basement if they can find any fabricated salary cap manipulation.

Here is what the Saints want to do... Post June Retirement.

If Brees announces his retirement now and doesn't wait to put in his retirement notice till after June 1st.

Drew if he stays on the roster: $22,650,000
Pre-June Retirement 2021 Dead Cap: $22,650,000
Post-June Retirement 2021 & 2022 Dead Cap: $11,150,000

If you ask why this is sooo important... $11 in one year can account for resign one Marcus Williams in Full or about 4-5 depth players. It would cripple us to not have that cap savings.

I went through the whole CBA and there is really nothing protecting from the NFL from challenging that late retirement designation if the NFL decides to be petty and make things hard for us.

It's more about not giving up an avenue for a situation to arise. If NFL can somehow blow up it into manufactured CapGate, wouldn't they? After Winston Comp pick, NFL denying the Clowny trade after its already been done, and Covid pick pettiness? I mean... It's not hard to believe why Saints organization is probably playing this situation as close to the letter as possible. It's to avoid possible ramifications.

When Loomis and Payton said the same thing verbatim in interviews to expect a decision in a couple of weeks over a month ago. Then, behind closed doors reduced Brees salary to one million.

They had a plan set in motion as early as January and clearly collectively agreed upon. This isn't like last year with the salary cap implications, Drew battling tough injuries, or taking a crazy paycut.

I wouldn't be surprised that Saints have all their moves planned out and wait for the official salary cap numbers. I don't think Brees will wait till June to retire. Just be close enough to make unchallengable.

If Drew decides Monday morning to retire... Clearly this was all a tin foil hat "Watching to much Netflix thriller drama" off season boredom hot take.