The Facts: NFL free agency begins a month from today. General manager Mickey Loomis and Brees' agent, Tom Condon, have 28 days to consummate a deal for the star quarterback. It's the Saints' top offseason priority. A deal should be and needs to be in place before free agency so the Saints can focus on other personnel needs.

Diehards Line:The past month has done nothing but help Brees' bargaining position. Monster deals for Alex Smith (four years, $94 million) and Jimmy Garoppolo (five years, $137.5 million) have set the market and raised the bar for elite quarterbacks. Garoppolo's unprecedented $27.5 million annual average is now the standard every quarterback and his agent will work from and toward during negotiations. Kirk Cousins might raise the bar to $30 million a year when he enters the open market next month. If the Saints try to low-ball Brees in negotiations because of age or historical metrics for 40-year quarterbacks, Brees and Condon have a strong argument on their side. If Brees elects to play hardball, he certainly could dictate the terms of this negotiation. Some QB-needy team would surely offer him a $30 million-a-year deal in the open market and Brees could force the Saints' hand. But admirably and unconventionally, he has laid his cards on the table. He has said repeatedly he wants to finish his career in New Orleans and doesn't even plan to test the free agent market. Both sides are motivated to make a deal. And we'll all be watching over the next month.