NFL Trade Machine: Drew Brees For Colin Kaepernick?
By Erik Lambert
Nov 9, 2014; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) throws the ball against the San Francisco 49ers during the second quarter at Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Player-for-player swaps seem to have become a bigger norm in this modern era of the NFL trade market. That was hammered home early when LeSean McCoy was swapped for Kiko Alonso and again after the Eagles sent Nick Foles to St. Louis for Sam Bradford. So is there any reason to think it can’t happen again?
Two names that have suddenly drawn attention are quarterbacks Colin Kaepernick and Drew Brees.
In sounds ludicrous at first glance, but honestly one must examine the situations. The New Orleans Saints are in a huge salary cap crunch. Brees is 36-years old and though his numbers were good last season, hasn’t looked like his usual self. Age can do that. The Saints may be looking to unload him and his contract for a younger option. So far he hasn’t gone anywhere even as his star tight end Jimmy Graham was shipped off to Seattle.
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Meanwhile a fire sale of sorts has gone down with the San Francisco 49ers. Patrick Willis retired. Justin Smith may join him. Michael Crabtree and Stevie Johnson are out at wide receiver. Signs point to GM Trent Baalke moving on as quickly as possible from the Jim Harbaugh era. That may include the quarterback Harbaugh helped draft in Kaepernick who underachieved last season after such a promising first two years as starter.
Thus it begs the question. Could both teams benefit from a swap?
Benefits to the New Orleans Saints
Colin Kaepernick is 27-years old. He has a lot of good football ahead of him. Better still, he’s already inked to a long-term contract through 2020. Also, in the grand scheme his deal is slightly cheaper than Brees’, averaging $1 million less per year. On top of that, he has the kind of skill set that is tailor-made for a domed stadium: athletic with runner speed and a cannon arm to hit speedy receivers on that Superdome turf.
Throw in Sean Payton calling the plays and developing his game and it’s a pretty solid match.
Benefits to the San Francisco 49ers
Getting back Drew Brees by himself would not be enough for the 49ers. Not at his age and with his contract. So what about Brees and a 1st round pick? After all, New Orleans did scoop up the #31 selection from Seattle in their Jimmy Graham deal. Making that trade would not only give San Francisco a veteran under center for the short-term, but two 1st round picks in the coming 2015 draft. Those could easily be put to good use in replacing all the losses the team has suffered, or even be packaged in a move up the board for, say, a Jameis Winston or Marcus Mariota. How perfect of a mentor would Brees be for either of them?
Conclusion
There is no question such an idea would be complicated from a logistical standpoint but so was the Foles-Bradford deal. This NFL trade would have both short and long-term benefits to the two teams. Whether the idea ever comes to either is a question left unanswered.