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Drew Brees reports no progress in contract talks with New Orleans Saints

By The Sports Xchange
New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) leaves the field after going 25/36 for 412 yards and 3 touchdowns against the Jacksonville Jaguars at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans December 27, 2015. Photo by AJ Sisco/UPI
New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) leaves the field after going 25/36 for 412 yards and 3 touchdowns against the Jacksonville Jaguars at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans December 27, 2015. Photo by AJ Sisco/UPI | License Photo

METAIRIE, La. -- The New Orleans Saints may have only about three months to get something done in regards to quarterback Drew Brees' contract, which is scheduled to expire after the upcoming season.

Brees said earlier this week there have been no talks on a contract extension in the last six to eight weeks that would likely keep him with the Saints for the rest of his career.

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At the same time, Brees said he remains hopeful talks will be rekindled and he will get a new deal before the regular season starts. Otherwise, he'll go about playing the 2016 campaign the way he always has -- regardless of whether he has a long-term deal or not.

Brees, who is entering the final year of the five-year, $100 million contract he received in July 2012, said Tuesday night at teammate Tim Lelito's annual charity softball game that he won't talk about it once the season begins.

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"I hope those discussions will take place again," Brees said. "If they don't, they don't. ... I'd love a long-term deal to get done, something that would lock me up for the rest of my career. I plan on playing for a few more years, and obviously, I expect them to be here."

Brees said he hasn't thought much about the contract since the talks stalled.

"I'm not stressing about it at all, honestly," said Brees, who's scheduled to carry a cap figure of $30 million this season.

After the team's media availability following its third OTA Thursday, head coach Sean Payton said he doesn't believe the contract issues will affect Brees' preparation for the season.

"I think he does that extremely well," Payton said. "He's someone that's extremely focused. Been sharp here these three days.

"I would say it's been a strength of his, just in regards to playing," he added. "The ability to focus, whatever situation we're in."

--Payton said Thursday after the team's third practice closed out the first week of OTAs that free safety Jairus Byrd could be limited for the rest of their offseason work.

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Byrd hasn't played a full season since signing a six-year, $54 million contract with the Saints in 2014. He missed the final 12 games that season after tearing the meniscus in his knee during practice, then sat out the first three games of 2015.

Payton said Byrd has been able to do some work so far in the first week of OTAs, but has been held out of team drills. He worked on the side during Thursday's practice session.

"We expect him to be ready when training camp starts," Payton said of Byrd, who had 53 tackles, an interception and three passes defensed after returning to the lineup last fall. "Right now, he's getting walk-through snaps and work off to the side.

"He's going through his rehab," he said. "It's right on schedule, so it's nothing different than what was expected."

--After being hampered throughout the 2015 training camp and regular season with a knee injury, which resulted in the Saints shutting him down late in the season, running back C.J. Spiller was back on the practice field Thursday.

Spiller was hurt early in training camp and had arthroscopic surgery on his knee, which sidelined him for the season opener at Arizona.

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Later, Payton said Spiller's health was an issue all season long, which helped them make the decision to put him on injured reserve after he had 351 total yards from scrimmage (112 rushing, 239 receiving) in 13 games.

The Saints are hoping that Spiller, who received a four-year, $16 million contract, will be able to use the speed that made him a dual threat out of the backfield and give starter Mark Ingram a break.

"C.J.'s health and his movement skills look noticeably different," Payton said after Thursday's practice. "He worked his butt off in the offseason to get the strength back in that leg he had his injury. That's been real encouraging."

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