THIBODAUX, La., July 29 (UPI) -- After missing the first three days of training camp, New Orleans Saints quarterback Aaron Brooks reported on Monday.
The Saints were surprised when Brooks, who participated in spring minicamps, failed to show last Friday. Saints General Manager Mickey Loomis believed the brief holdout was due to Brooks' contract status, and said the team would not consider negotiating a new deal with a player who was not in camp.
Brooks, 25, is scheduled to make the new league minimum of $450,000 in 2002 after tying a club record with 26 touchdown passes last season.
Brooks started all 16 games last year for the Saints and passed for 3,832 yards, but was intercepted 22 times and had a quarterback rating of 76.4. He set a single-season club record for total offense with 4,190 yards.
Brooks took over as New Orleans' starting quarterback after Jeff Blake suffered a broken foot in Week 11 of the 2000 season and went on to lead the Saints to their first-ever playoff win, a 31-28 victory over the St. Louis Rams in the wild card round.
