Drew Brees rejected Arizona Cardinals advances back in 2018

It’s being reported that the Arizona Cardinals tried in vain to bring the legendary signal-caller to the desert back in 2018

Just two years ago, the Arizona Cardinals were in dire need of a quarterback. The retirement of the incredibly productive Carson Palmer left the franchise holding an empty bag. In fact, the Cards had exactly zero signal-callers under contract during the early part of the 2018 offseason.

With the squad apparently in dire straits, the team’s general manager attempted to rectify the situation in a big way. According to reports, the apple of Steve Keim’s eye was Drew Brees, the legendary leader of the New Orleans Saints. Arizona offered the future Hall of Famer $60 million over two years, a blockbuster deal that was obviously turned down by the then 39-year old passer.

Although they were ultimately rejected, Keim and the Cardinals deserve kudos for their courtship of the outstanding Brees. The 6’0, 209 pounder would’ve been a tremendous replacement for the retiring Palmer. The presence of Brees alone may have resulted in playoff appearances in both 2018 and 2019, and possibly even a Super Bowl bid for Big Red.

Instead, Arizona was forced to sign veteran Sam Bradford, who lasted just four games as the starter. Rookie Josh Rosen took over and struggled mightily, thanks to former head coach Steve Wilks and his awful staff. The Cardinals would win just three times in ’18, due in large part to the lack of strength at the quarterback position.

We now know that the Cards generous offer was not enough to pry Brees away from the Saints. While the huge money may have been tempting, the former Purdue University product felt that winning was more important. Clearly, Brees believed that New Orleans was more equipped to contend for an NFL championship than Arizona was at the time.

Landing Brees would’ve been like a dream come true for Cardinals fans. The organization would’ve had a two-year window, and perhaps even more time than that, to secure a Vince Lombardi Trophy. Seeing Brees all decked out in a Cards uniform, even for a mere two campaigns, would’ve been a fantastic chapter in franchise history.