NY Jets: Team should not trade for Drew Brees

Even though the NY Jets don’t have anything certain yet locked in at quarterback, they should stay away from any possibility of trading for quarterback Drew Brees.

The Jets have many tough decisions as to what players they would like to sign in free agency this off-season to prepare for next season. One player they should stay from this is future Pro Football Hall of Famer Drew Brees because of the short-term incentives he’d bring to the table.

At this point in time, the only contractually signed quarterbacks on the Jets are Geno Smith and Bryce Petty. Ryan Fitzpatrick is technically a free agent and there is no guarantee he’ll return to the Jets next season. If he doesn’t, the Jets will no doubt be in the market for a quarterback. Brees shouldn’t be considered a realistic option to trade for due to the issues he’ll bring with him.

First off, Brees will be 38 years old next season and how healthy can he be moving forward?  The positive things about him are his veteran presence, his leadership on and off the field, and his winning mentality. My biggest concern is how well can he produce day in and day out during practices and games. The amount of punishment he has taken over the years make him a liability.

The one person I can compare him to is Peyton Manning who has had a incredible career but as the years have gone on, he has gotten hurt a lot more and isn’t as productive as he once was. Also Brees has a tendency of throwing too many forced balls into double coverage and hurts the team to help them win football games. It’s mainly due to him reaching the final few years left of his prolific career.

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Also, I think he has a problem in seeing the depth of field because of his height as he comes in at 6 foot even.

He is shorter than other players at his position which hurts him because his vision of the full field is cut off. Most teams now are wanting a quarterback who is built strong, and is able to scramble out of the pocket and try to develop a play. I think the amount of interceptions he has thrown from 2004 to now has been because of his height, and also he is trying to force things that shouldn’t be thrown.

Since 2004, he has thrown double the amount of interceptions which as a coach or owner, throws up a big red flag. You would want to know if he is being smart with the ball, and he is looking around and not just one player that the defense will focus on as the game goes on. He is also very loose with the football and doesn’t hold onto it tight enough to try to avoid fumbling the ball.

The amount of fumbles he has had in his career are very high as they average around 7 to 8 per season. Brees numbers for the number of touchdowns he has thrown have decreased which is unusual because he usually throws a lot. I think he is not getting the power on throws anymore because of the stress he put on the arm as well as being hit so much through the years.

Dec 27, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) is sacked by Jacksonville Jaguars middle linebacker Paul Posluszny (51) in the second quarter at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

He has suffered major injuries to his throwing arm throughout his career which is something to be concerned about. Brees I think was seeing his career going backwards for the major injury he suffered. He suffered a torn labrum while trying to recover a fumble against the Denver Broncos, and he suffered more damage in his throwing arm which could of possibly caused his career to be over.

Any athlete knows when it comes to shoulder injuries, it is very difficult to come back from and be the same person you were in the past. That season he was selected to the Pro Bowl but was forced to miss it because of the shoulder injury he suffered and he needed a lot of time to recover. When he had come back the following season he had struggled because he was not getting any power behind the ball to try to hit the receiver in stride.

Even though he has that veteran presence you look for in a quarterback, he is getting older, and you are unsure if he could stay healthy for a whole entire season. The Jets desperately need Fitzpatrick back to end any worries that they might once again have a major question mark at quarterback heading into training camps.

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I don’t see Brees being a fit for what the Jets are trying to do in order to become a better franchise. General manager Mike Maccagnan is trying to have a veteran player be someone who can teach the younger ones what it takes to make it. Brees is a legend and although some rumors surfaced that the New Orleans Saints might want to part ways with him and/or head coach Sean Payton, the Jets should stay far away from entertaining any ideas to trade for him.

Best thing to do is for the Jets to make sure they bring back Fitzpatrick as soon as possible and continue building the team to make some serious noise in 2016. To break the bank and give away valuable draft picks for a quarterback like Brees that is on the declining years of his career would be a terrible mistake.