Jackson Free Press

New Orleans and Drew Brees are playing chicken while driving at full speed. The New Orleans Saints are running out of time to get quarterback Drew Brees a long-term deal. Under the collective-bargaining agreement, teams have until July 16 to sign players to multi-year deals that were franchise-tagged. NFL teams can franchise a player to keep him from signing with another team, but the team must pay him an average of the top five salaries at the player's position.

A little over a month remains to get a deal done. Reports say Brees wants as much as $23 million. Others speculate that the Saints are offering $18 million to $19 million a year.

This offseason has been a P.R. nightmare for the Saints with "bountygate" resulting in suspensions of several New Orleans coaches and players. Signing Brees would finally give the Saints some positive press.

Brees has not signed his franchise tender, which would pay him $14.4 million this season and, in protest, has not shown up to any offseason workouts. The quarterback is staying away from team activities as the Saints prepare to play the entire 2012 season without head coach Sean Payton.

Also playing a part in this story is the fact that the San Diego Chargers franchised Brees in 2005. Brees was injured at the end of that season and only had two real chances of playing with an NFL team: New Orleans and the Miami Dolphins.

Brees wants a long-term deal instead of a one-year franchise contract. If he is injured playing under the franchise deal, the Saints could let him leave or sign him at a reduced price.

While it is not unusual for sports deals to go down to the wire, no team in NFL history is going through what New Orleans will face in the 2012 season. Time is getting short for both sides and the Saints don't seem to be in a hurry.

If Brees does not reach a deal with the Saints by July 16, he will have three options: He can sign his franchise tender for the $14.4 million and play in 2012; he can sit out until week 10 and sign, giving him credit for a full NFL season (for franchise purposes); or he can take the third, unthinkable choice for Saints fans. He can sit out the entire 2012 season.