Adam Schefter of ESPN reported a startling development in the NFL just before the “Monday Night Football” game between the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs. The report claimed that the Broncos were in discussions with Drew Brees about a potential return before their AFC Championship Game against the New England Patriots in January.
This potential move could pose a significant issue for the Broncos. According to Schefter, former Broncos offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi and offensive assistant Pete Carmichael approached Brees about the possibility of starting or serving as a backup to Jarrett Stidham after Bo Nix suffered an ankle injury during the Broncos’ victory over the Buffalo Bills in the Divisional Round.
More News: Exclusive: Breakout NFL Executives Who Could Become Future General Managers.
More News: 4 QBs Generating Serious Trade Buzz Weeks Before NFL Regular Season Starts.
However, Brees experienced wrist discomfort during his workout, which led to the premature end of this consideration.
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk described Schefter’s report as a “big, fat nothing burger” for two main reasons. First, the league requires retired players to return by Week 13 to be eligible for any subsequent games. Second, Brees remains on the New Orleans Saints’ reserve-retired list.
If the Saints had released Brees for him to participate in the AFC championship, he would have been subjected to the waiver process. Any discussions by the Broncos with Brees without the Saints’ consent could be regarded as tampering.
“That doesn’t mean the Broncos didn’t talk to Brees, as Schefter reports,” Florio explained. “If, however, then-offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi and offensive assistant Pete Carmichael spoke to Brees without permission from the Saints, it would have been tampering.”
This situation raises another question: Will the league investigate the Broncos for potential tampering based on Schefter’s report? Even if the Saints do not file a formal complaint, the league might still decide to investigate.
Schefter’s report further noted that Sean Payton, the head coach, was unaware of the Broncos’ attempt to recruit Brees until the offseason. Nevertheless, Payton might have to contend with the consequences of last season’s alleged tampering by his staff.
Leave a Reply